The coronavirus pandemic was initially believed to affect the respiratory system, but new symptoms show that it has other equally if not more severe signs. The additional evidence of the virus includes diarrhoea, nausea, and several others.
The current limitation of information regarding the COVID-19 results in the difficulty of detecting where and how the disease attacks one's body. The challenge is further aided by studies that suggest varying symptoms between the elderly and children who are infected with the virus.
Something to watch out for
Now, new observations have shown that skin conditions are also present in the hosts of the disease.
Skin conditions such as rashes develop quite commonly on patients that are fighting an infection, especially those with respiratory system infections.
According to the UK Express, however, the cause of the reaction of the human skin to the coronavirus, although there are some speculations, such as tiny clots in blood vessels.
A phenomenon called "COVID toes" can also be caused by a surge of evidence that the virus results in blood clotting abnormalities.
Director of global dermatology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr Esther Freeman, said, "In terms of viruses and their effect on the skin, in dermatology, we are used to viruses causing different viral rashes and eruptions." and that "It was certainly not out of the ordinary for any of us to think there may be some viral rashes that we would end up seeing with COVID-19 like we see with many other viruses."
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Dr Freeman, however, noted her surprise in the increasing evidence of pernio-like abrasions on the toes. She also said that the toe conditions are caused by inflammation of the circulatory system that leads to a skin rash, as opposed to being caused by exposure to cold, as reported by the Medical Xpress.
The doctor also stated, "It's really important to reassure the public that most of our patients who are developing COVID toes are doing very well, so they're often patients who have a benign clinical course. They either are having mild disease, or often their only symptom might be their toes."
The extent of COVID toes
The new symptom, as Freeman noted, is not limited to children with the virus, but that adults are also susceptible while also stating that even if an individual does develop COVID toes, they are unlikely to reach intensive care unit, "That's not what we're seeing in the data," she added.
Some of the other findings on the skin include morbilliform eruption which is a common sign of several viruses and drug reactions as well as urticaria and vesicular eruptions which can be described as "chickenpox-like" blisters on the skin, added Dr Freeman.
Fortunately, the symptoms go away after two or three weeks, according to Dr Freeman. "I recommend concerned individuals contact their board-certified dermatologist or their primary care doctor to discuss if they are concerned about the new onset of toe lesions," she added.
Dr Freeman also stated that "There are other conditions that can cause something similar, so you will want someone to evaluate you and go through a thorough medical history."
