the mystery of “Covid toes” in children

As our knowledge of Covid-19 is refined and we now know that skin lesions can be a symptom of infection, Spanish dermatologists believe they have detected a potential new symptom: purplish toes. Observed in many young patients who test positive, but often asymptotic, these purplish skin lesions on the toes are a sign of infection.

A study on the subject in Italy found that at least 20% of Covid patients had these skin lesions, which were also reported in the Journal of the American of Dermatology.

“We are not sure if this is related to Covid-19, but since this condition is so common at this time during a pandemic, and occurs in otherwise asymptomatic or mildly affected patients, it does not appear to be a coincidence”, said Dr. Amy Paller in a statement from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Swelling and “burning sensation”

Dr. Ebbing Lautenbach, head of the infectious disease unit at the University of Pennsylvania medical school, describes in USA Today these lesions like small blisters or swellings “painful to the touch and causing a burning sensation. ”

According to him, it would be “a manifestation occurring early in the disease (…) Sometimes this could even be the first indication of Covid-19 infection when there are no other symptoms yet ”. These lesions can be found on the toes themselves, or on the side of the feet as already observed in some young subjects.

If you are treating patients with acute coronary syndromes or acute strokes in the ED, you may want to quickly look for COVID Toes and Fingers, a clue indicating possible COVID-19 infection and need for enhanced PPE and precautions. https://t.co/oyBgQQkkHH pic.twitter.com/9qyKKAEG0k

– Luciano Sposato (@SposatoL) April 19, 2020

Specialists are not yet sure how the virus can cause such skin damage, but it could be linked to blood clotting or inflammation of blood vessels. “It could be inflammation of the fingers or toes, or the inflammation that causes micro clots in the bloodstream ”, confirms in the journal Health, Nazanin Saedi, dermatologist at Thomas Jefferson University.

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