Filenews 22 March 2021
Skin symptoms may occur in patients with coronavirus and in some cases are the only indication that they are diseased. According to data from research from King's College London, it appears that one in five patients sick with coronavirus had as their only symptom a skin rash of some kind. The research was published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Clearly skin rashes may appear as a symptom in patients with coronavirus, but being the only symptom adds new data to be explored for the scientific community. In fact, 17% of skin rashes were the first symptom until the next ones followed.
The rashes appeared in a variety of ways such as urticaria and elevated lumps while they were detected throughout the body. These data were collected by researchers at King's College London through a monitoring app for coronavirus symptoms during the pandemic called ZOE. The data showed that 67% of those who tested positive for coronavirus were more likely to develop a skin rash than those who were not.
A further study of 11,544 people asked patients and photos of their rashes: "It is striking that among respondents to the online survey, we found that 1% of positive cases of coronavirus reported skin rashes as the first symptom, while 21% of patients reported that skin rashes were the only symptom of covid-19 disease," the researchers note.
More than 400 people sent photos published in an online database called "Covid skin signs": "Skin rashes are added along with the remaining symptoms of Covid-19, a harbinger of a positive smear test and appear in a significant number of cases, either alone or before other classic symptoms," the researchers add.
Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a dermatologist and spokeswoman for the British Skin Foundation, said: "We have now recognised that skin rashes can be a sign that someone is suffering from Covid-19 and indeed in some patients, it is the only sign. Rashes, of course, associated with coronavirus, can vary considerably."
The categories of rashes associated with the coronavirus are as follows:
Rashes on the fingers: They may appear in both the legs and hands. They look like snowshoes and are more common in younger age patients. The rash appears as a reddish and purple bump on the fingers or toes.
Eczema: Usually this rash occurs in the neck or chest and in places exposed to the sun. It is quite red and is causing severe itching. It can occur at any time during or after infection and usually lasts for a long time.
Oral rash: Appears on the lips and dries them causing severe pain and can also cause pain inside the mouth.
Bubble rash: They resemble the signs of chicken pox and can occur anywhere in the body, while causing severe itching. These rashes can last after the patient's recovery
Two colours and irritations of intense purple colour: Discolours on the skin usually purple or blue colour and bruises. They are caused by problematic blood circulation.
Urticaria: These are irritations where the skin is embossed and irritated. It occurs quite early, but can also last for a long time.
Source: ygeiamou.gr
