Papulovesicular skin rash as early sign of COVID-19: a case report

Abstract

COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), has spread rapidly through human-to-human transmission worldwide since its first identification in Wuhan, China, in December of 2019. According to a 2021 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, there is an association between skin rashes and a positive COVID-19 swab test result. A 32-year-old female patient without travel history, presented with a history of severe itching followed papulovesicular skin lesions of both thighs associated with low grade fever for three days then rapid involve legs, and chest since. Four days later develop flue like symptoms, headache, dry cough, and decreased appetite. Her skin manifestations disappeared completely 6 days after the onset of the disease, followed by the disappearance of cough. Rapid antigen test for COVID-19 was done which was positive. Later positive result from nasopharyngeal reverse transcriptase PCR swab.