Pathobiology of Cutaneous Manifestations Associated with COVID-19 and Their Management

Viruses. 2022 Sep 6;14(9):1972. doi: 10.3390/v14091972.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a rising concern since its declaration as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020. Recently, its association with multiple underlying organs has been identified that includes cardiac, renal, gastrointestinal, nervous systems, and cutaneous manifestations. Cutaneous COVID-19 findings have been supposedly classified into the following categories: vesicular (varicella-like), papulo-vesiculsar, chilblains-like ("COVID toes") maculopapular, and urticarial morphologies. In this review, we aim to focus on the proposed pathophysiology behind the various dermatological manifestations associated with COVID-19 and their associated management. We also included prevalence and clinical features of the different COVID-19-related skin lesions in our review. A comprehensive narrative review of the literature was performed in PubMed databases. Data from case reports, observational studies, case series, and reviews till June 2022 were all screened and included in the review.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 virus; chilblain-like rash; cutaneous manifestations; erythematous vesicular rash; maculopapular rash; morbilliform rash; papulo-vesicular rash; skin manifestations of COVID-19; urticarial eruptions.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Skin / pathology
  • Skin Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Skin Diseases* / etiology
  • Skin Diseases* / therapy

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.