2020 Volume 130 Issue 11 Pages 2385-2389
A 40-year-old male developed a transient fever on the day before presentation to our hospital; then which itching developed over the entire body. Clinical examination revealed dark reddish erythema and papules scattered on the trunk and extremities, but concentrated on the back. A chest X-ray showed no abnormalities. Viral infection was suspected, with drug eruption considered as a reasonable differential diagnosis. When interviewed 5 days later, the patient reported a mild cough, and mentioned that a colleague at his workplace was suspected of having COVID-19. PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2. In patients with COVID-19, a rash occasionally precedes respiratory symptoms. Such patients may initially consult a dermatologist, who must consider the possibility of COVID-19 on encountering maculopapular lesions of unknown etiology, and perform both in-depth interview and virological examination.
