'COVID fingers' and other skin abnormalities: new symptoms of coronavirus detected

Much remains to be learned about the new coronavirus, including a wide range of symptoms that seem to be expanding. Common symptoms of a respiratory illness include fever, cough, shortness of breath and chills, but sometimes doctors report less obvious symptoms in some patients, including what some call “COVID fingers” and other manifestations on the skin. Writes about this CBS News.

Photo: Shutterstock

Esther Freeman, director of global healthcare and dermatology at the Massachusetts Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, says the cases of COVID fingers are like frostbite or ulcers, a condition of inflamed blood vessels caused by cold temperatures.

“We're seeing symptoms that we typically see when someone is exposed to cold temperatures,” Freeman said. “However, when infected with coronavirus, we see this in warm climates and we see it in patients who were in warm rooms.”

Freeman said viruses cause a rash, so most dermatologists are not surprised that COVID-19 can cause skin symptoms. “What surprises me is the“ COVID fingers, ”these frostbite-like lesions because we did not see similar symptoms in other viruses.”

“I have seen more toes in the last two weeks in my clinic than in my entire previous career,” said Freeman, a member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) COVID-19 task force.

On the subject: 'Numerous cases': doctors called another unobvious symptom of coronavirus

In addition to seeing skin symptoms in her patients, Freeman also received examples of these symptoms from medical professionals from around the world. The AAD COVID-19 Task Force has created an international registry for physicians so that they can send examples of dermatological manifestations of COVID-19 to help further investigate these symptoms. Until now, doctors from 21 different countries send information to the registry.

Freeman said "COVID fingers" have been seen in both children and adults. Sometimes they are present along with more typical coronavirus symptoms, and sometimes they are the only symptom the patient experiences.

“In fact, about half the registry exhibits other symptoms as well,” Freeman said.

Some doctors have reported seeing skin diseases that look like a crescent (like measles) rash, hives, or chicken pox.

In fact, one of the first series of cases of dermatological manifestations of coronavirus included 18 Italian patients with several skin abnormalities, including redness, hives, and a rash.

Freeman says that her own patients tend to address her with two main problems. “The first thing they want to know is:“ My fingers are purple, will I really get sick? ” and second: “Can I infect members of my family?”

Freeman said it was important to be careful because some patients with COVID fingers could still be contagious and should talk with their doctor about testing for coronavirus.

“The overall message I want to get out to the public is don’t panic,” Freeman said. “Most patients who have COVID fingers do very well.”

“If you need to go to the emergency room because you're sick or have other symptoms that you need to be evaluated for, that's okay. But if your only symptom is purple toes, you don't need to panic and rush to the emergency room, Freeman said, adding that if a patient finds skin abnormalities on their body, they should talk to their doctor.

A group of dermatologists from Brussels, Belgium, and Portland, Oregon, also studied toe and skin lesions in connection with COVID-19. Their report says that it’s important for dermatologists to recognize the signs of the disease.

On the subject: New US study: 96% of coronavirus-infected people have no symptoms

Researchers write about a 23-year-old man who for three days had purple and painful spots on his toes and on the outside of his legs. A few days earlier, he also had mild fever and a dry cough.

After a full examination of the skin, the patient received a positive result on COVID-19. Researchers say he was diagnosed with coronavirus frostbite, a medical term for skin ulcers. According to the researchers, similar cases were observed by French and Belgian dermatologists, but they were not previously reported due to lack of testing.

“Young patients suffering from ulcers did not have sufficient criteria to test for the presence of coronavirus,” the study says. “Due to the recent outbreak of COVID fingers, along with an increase in coronavirus cases, COVID-19 disease has begun to be considered as a possible cause,” they write.

This study examined cases of coronavirus infection in children and young people whose legs were more affected than their arms.

“Ulcers may be the first symptom of COVID-19, and fever and dry cough may be minimal or even absent,” the study says.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• Doctors in the United States and China note that among those infected, increased number of people with kidney failure. As a result, in hospitals, an acute shortage of hemodialysis machines (“artificial kidneys”), as well as medical staff who can handle such patients, not to mention the necessary drugs, is already noticeable.
• Coronavirus infection is not limited to respiratory infections. As practical research shows, in a significant number of patients, the virus also affects the nervous system. The mechanism of its effect on nerve cells has not yet been studied, however, scientists have no doubt that there is some connection: a temporary loss of taste or smell was recognized as specific symptoms of COVID-19 back in mid-March.

Read also on ForumDaily:

FDA officially approves COVID-19 drug

Everyone is looking for a vaccine from a coronavirus: spies also don’t sit idly by

Rabies, influenza and smallpox: 12 of the deadliest viruses on Earth

Coronavirus was in the US long before it was discovered: could a cold in January and February be COVID-19

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.