SARS‐CoV‐2, skin lesions and the need of a multidisciplinary approach

Abstract

COVID‐19 is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 of the genus Betacoronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2). It was first described in Wuhan (China) on December 2019 and has spread to become a pandemic. Its clinical presentation is mainly characterized by cough, fever and dyspnea, although many other symptoms have been described within its presentation pattern. In some cases, it causes an acute respiratory distress that has lead to the death of thousands of people around the world. Furthermore, different types of skin lesions have been described during the infection period of illness.1 In this exceptional situation of global health emergency, physicians are undertaking research work in order to achieve notions on the etiopathogenesis of these skin lesions. The first report of cutaneous manifestations described different forms of skin lesions such as erythematous rash, urticaria and chicken‐pox‐like vesicles.2 Further studies have classified 5 different type of skin lesions, and associated them with patient demographics, timing in relation to symptoms of the disease, severity and prognosis.