- Skin lesions on the hands and feet may be a new symptom of Covid-19.
- The National Union of Dermatologists-Venereologists reports this type of lesion in patients with little or no symptoms.
- They call for vigilance, while these patients who suffer from mild forms of the disease could however be contagious.
We knew, since the onset of the disease, the symptoms close to the flu. Body aches, fever, dry cough, migraines and, in the most severe cases, respiratory distress and pneumonia typical of the coronavirus. More unexpected and surprising, it was discovered two weeks ago that coronavirus caused loss of taste and smell in a number of patients.
Little by little, doctors are learning a little more about Covid-19 every day, and this week, the National Union of Dermatologists-Venereologists (SNDV) is alerting to cutaneous manifestations of coronavirus, which would resemble hives.
Specific skin lesions
"A WhatsApp group of more than 400 dermatologists (liberal and hospital-university), organized by the SNDV, has highlighted skin lesions, associated or not with signs of Covid," indicates this college of dermatologists. These are acrosyndromes (appearance of pseudo-frostbite of the extremities), sudden appearance of persistent, sometimes painful redness, and transient hives lesions ”.
"We have brought up, within this WhatsApp group created three weeks ago, cases of urticaria and varicella-type rash in patients who had already had it," explains Dr Catherine Oliverès to 20 Minutes. Ghouti, dermatologist, member of SNDV and the famous WhatsApp group. The skin lesions observed are pseudo-frostbite: "pseudo" because it looks like frostbite, but which is not caused by exposure of the skin to humid cold. This manifests itself in slightly swollen redness on the backs of the hands, fingers and toes, describes the dermatologist. And unlike classic eczema or irritation due to the repeated use of hydroalcoholic gel, these lesions do not scratch, do not burn, but are a little painful. It has appeared in patients of all ages, with no medical history, and even in children. ”
Especially no corticosteroid creams
Quickly, a common point emerges: "these patients had the distinction of having cases of Covid-19 in their immediate entourage, says Dr. Oliverès-Ghouti. This is the case of two young children who had these skin symptoms and whose father, on the other hand, presented the classic symptoms of the disease. This is why these signs are thought to appear for mild forms of the coronavirus. As Covid-19 can attack pulmonary blood vessels, it is now believed that it can also attack cutaneous blood vessels, which would explain these specific lesions. ” And to relieve these lesions, "it is important not to self-medicate with corticosteroid creams, which would make matters worse, warns Dr. Oliverès-Ghouti. You can possibly relieve the skin with oily restorative creams. ”
To date, these signs would therefore be observed in patients with little or no classic symptoms of Covid-19. Thus, "this cutaneous involvement has not been observed in severe cases requiring hospitalization," confirms Pr Martine Bagot, head of the dermatology service at Hôpital Saint-Louis in Paris, at 20 minutes . And what has challenged the profession is this similar picture of hand / foot involvement in very young patients. For the time being, these patients are not being screened, an approach reserved for the most serious cases, but large-scale serological tests will allow us to learn more about this new symptom. But already, here in Saint-Louis, we are fortunate to have been able to screen patients with these skin symptoms and an article is being written on these cases proven by samples. This will allow doctors to find out more about this Covid-19 ”.
Skin symptoms still relatively little observed
As for general practitioners, these possible cutaneous manifestations of Covid-19 have still been little observed. "I have not observed this type of symptom in any Covid-19 patient whom I have examined," said Dr. Jean-Louis Bensoussan, general practitioner member of MG France, at 20 Minutes . In addition to the well-known ENT symptoms and fever, there are many Covid-19 patients who also have digestive problems and a loss of taste and smell. ”
Same observation for Dr Luc Dusquesnel, general practitioner in Mayenne and president of the Federation of doctors of France: “I saw passing these observations of the SNDV, but to date, I did not note these cutaneous symptoms nor in consultation with cabinet, nor on call regulation in the department, he said at 20 minutes . Yet I have seen and had hundreds of patients on the phone in the past few weeks. ” Like his colleague, this general practitioner noted "loss of taste and smell, as well as diarrhea, as very frequent signs of coronavirus in patients". But Covid-19 also indirectly causes skin damage. "I frequently see skin syndromes in the hands, but which are linked to excessive use of hydroalcoholic gel and the use of gloves," notes Dr. Duquesnel. It can cause irritation. ”
Increased vigilance
However, Dr Duquesnel takes the alert given by his dermatologist colleagues very seriously. “What they found is very interesting. Now that they have brought this probable sign to light, it will be the subject of increased vigilance ”. Thus, this discovery "allows us to say:" be careful, asymptomatic patients with this type of skin lesion may be carriers of Covid-19, therefore contagious "", confirms Professor Bagot.
He continues: “And in this case, we must avoid coming into contact with fragile people. When large-scale serological tests are possible, we will see if these patients with only these cutaneous signs have developed antibodies to the coronavirus, which would thus prove that they contracted it ”.
Health
Loss of smell, a symptom related to coronavirus
Health
Coronavirus: Is it contagious or immune once cured, and can you contract Covid-19 twice?
- Consultation
- Health
- Covid 19
- Coronavirus
- Containment
- Doctor