ABSTRACT
Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global healthcare challenge that has caused morbidity and mortality at unprecedented levels. Since the post-COVID pulmonary complications are evolving and challenging, a study was carried out to assess pulmonary cavitation in follow-up COVID cases from an etiological perspective. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of pulmonary cavitation and describe its etiology and evolution in moderate and severe post-COVID pneumonia patients. Methods: A prospective observational study of all patients admitted to our institution with moderate or severe COVID pneumonia was carried out. Some of these patients again became symptomatic after discharge and developed pulmonary cavitation on imaging. Results: 6.2% (n = 37) out of 589 patients admitted to our institution with moderate or severe COVID pneumonia developed pulmonary cavitation on follow-up. We describe the imaging characteristics of post-COVID cavitation and present these patients' clinical, laboratory, and microbiological parameters. Conclusion: Cavitary lung disease in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease is not uncommon, and an etiological workup is necessary to institute timely and correct therapy.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The gradual opening of healthcare system since second week of May 2020 following lockdown imposed due to corona virus pandemic saw spurts of cases of unexplained central facial dermatoses in subset of previously healthy people. The aim of the study was to find out the cause and establish the definitive diagnosis of unusual occurrence of facial dermatoses on previously healthy people so that an appropriate management can be offered to the patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a cross-sectional, observational study carried during May 15 to July 15, 2020 at a tertiary dermatology center. All cases presented with erythema on face and papular or pustular lesions on central facial area of not more than 2 months of duration were included in the study. RESULTS: Total 81 patients visited skin OPD with facial dermatoses of various types during this period, out of which 21 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. This was 0.72% (21/2900) of total skin OPD of the 2 months. All the patients had been using face masks during this period of symptoms due to the ongoing coronavirus situation. Dermatological examination revealed only erythema on the central area of face (n = 10), erythema and few papules (n = 3), erythmatous papules and pustules (n = 5), and erythematous papules, pustules, and telengiectasia (n = 3). All the skin biopsies showed predominantly epithelioid cells, noncaseating granuloma with a variable degree of infiltrate. CONCLUSION: There has been a definite change in the lifestyle due to the current Covid-19 pandemic. People are compulsorily using face masks to avoid the spread of Covid-19 infection. This change in behavior has brought out a surge of rosacea like lesions on the covered area of face. Partly, it can be explained by change in innate immunity due to excessive sweating and change in microenvironment of skin.
ABSTRACT
With the present COVID-19 vaccination drive across the world, adverse skin reactions post COVID-19 vaccine is expected. Majority of these reactions seen were transient or local injection site reactions. However, as the larger population is being vaccinated, certain uncommon dermatological presentations including leukocytoclastic vasculitis, pityriasis rosea, and exacerbation of pre-existing autoimmune diseases are now being reported. Among all the COVID-19 vaccines, most of these reactions are seen with messenger ribonucleic acid-based Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) and Moderna (mRNA-1273) vaccine. We report two cases of leukocytoclastic vasculitis following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 corona virus vaccine (recombinant) that bring out potential new dermatological manifestations of recombinant corona virus vaccine being administered across the European, South American, and Asian countries. It is important for all health care workers and patients to be aware of the corona virus vaccine associated adverse cutaneous reactions.