Are rashes a symptom of Covid-19? After the alert of the National Syndicate of Dermatologists-Venereologists (SNDV) in early April, the French Dermatology Society launched an investigation after "some cases of red spots (Editor's note: erythema) on the face of patients infected with Covid-19" . She makes her first conclusions.
Begun in March, the “Covid-skin” survey made it possible to report 113 patients, the majority of whom had “false frostbite”. This first group, of 84 patients, did not report the majority of associated symptoms. For the other 45, these associated symptoms were non-severe, such as coughing. Only one case of loss of smell has been reported. "Ten patients reported a Covid-19 contagion possible or probable in the 15 days-three weeks previously", specifies the French Society of Dermatology.
The link between frostbite and Covid-19 not proven
What about the tests? Thirty-two patients received a so-called PCR test through the nose. "A nasopharyngeal PCR (Editor's note: a nasal test) has been performed in patients with clinical signs, the results of which, available to date for 18, are all negative," notes the association. "This does not exclude a possible previous Covid-19 infection, but does not allow us to affirm this either," she said.
"To date, the link on the occurrence of frostbite and infection with Covid-19 is not proven," said Parisian doctor Brigitte Roy-Geffroy, dermatologist and member of the French Society of Dermatology. "For the moment, we do not favor contagiousness on carriers of frostbite," she recalls.
The link with Covid-19 would however be more marked for carriers of other eruptions, such as hives or livedo (Editor's note: mottling) . In the second group of patients, presenting very varied manifestations "occurring either without associated context, or associated with infectious signs, or even in hospitalized patients including in intensive care for a Covid-19 and 8 pneumopathies", on 16 patients tested , 6 were positive.
Most of these positive patients had erythema of the face or a livedo and a Covid-19 infection already known or suspected. "The link with the Covid-19 is a priori more marked," notes this time Dr. Brigitte Roy-Geffroy.
