Coronavirus patients can develop lesions similar to rashes inside the mouth, a small Spanish study recently concluded.
The researchers who participated in the study, published last week in JAMA Dermatology, examined 21 consecutive patients who had a rash and COVID-19 at the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid between March 30 and April 8.
They sought to determine whether patients developed enanthem (lesions of the mucous membranes) inside their mouths.
These lesions were observed in six of the patients, aged between 40 and 69 years, four of whom were women.
The researchers noted that the study “describes preliminary observations and is limited by the small number of cases and the absence of a control group.”
“Despite increasing reports of skin rashes in COVID-19 patients, establishing an etiologic diagnosis is challenging,” they wrote.
“However, the presence of enanthem is a strong clue that suggests a viral etiology rather than a pharmacological reaction, especially when a petechial pattern is observed.”
The study also noted that due to safety concerns, many patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 do not have their mouth examined.
Some patients with COVID-19 in Italy previously developed enanthem, according to the researchers.
CDC has described multiple symptoms of coronavirus, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and muscle or body aches. Skin rashes are not on that list.
Infected people can experience a spectrum of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe, according to the CDC.
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