Skin Manifestation of SARS-CoV-2: The Italian Experience
covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, WHO, Skin, Italian, Manifestation
At the end of December 2019, a new coronavirus denominated Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Less than three months later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) to be a global pandemic. Growing numbers of clinical, histopathological, and molecular findings were subsequently reported, among which a particular interest in skin manifestations during the course of the disease was evinced. Today, about one year after the development of the first major infectious foci in Italy, various large case series of patients with COVID-19-related skin manifestations have focused on skin specimens. However, few are supported by histopathological, immunohistochemical, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data on skin specimens. Here, we present nine cases of COVID-positive patients, confirmed by histological, immunophenotypical, and PCR findings, who underwent skin biopsy. A review of the literature in Italian cases with COVID-related skin manifestations is then provided.
Gerardo Cazzato, Caterina Foti, Anna Colagrande, Antonietta Cimmino, Sara Scarcella, Gerolamo Cicco, Sara Sablone, Francesca Arezzo, Paolo Romita, Teresa Lettini, Leonardo Resta, Giuseppe Ingravallo