Pityriasis rosea-like cutaneous eruption as a possible dermatological manifestation after Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: Case report and brief literature review.

ABSTRACT

Pityriasis rosea (PR) has been manifested in patients suffering from COVID-19 as well as after vaccine protocols against SARS-CoV-2. It has a possible association with the HHV-6B virus (roseola infantum) and can be controlled by antivirals such as acyclovir as well as by the amino acid l-Lysine that showed a positive result in reducing the number of lesions and healing time. The aim of this study was to report a case of PR after a second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca, the adopted therapy and a brief literature review. A 53-year-old woman, phototype II, presented an erythematous lesion in the posterior right thigh 15 days after the second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Eight days after the initial injury, new injuries appeared in the calf, buttocks and thighs. The diagnosis was PR with a 5-week eruption cycle. The treatment consisted of the use of l-Lysine, 3 grams loading dose and 500 mg for 30 days and moisturizing/healing lotion, starting 14 days after the herald patch. After the 5th week of the disease cycle, there were no new eruptions and the repair cycle continued for up to 8 weeks leaving some residual skin spots. It is concluded that the patient may be a carrier a latent virus, HHV-6, and the vaccine administration with immune system stimulation, would have activated the possible virus causing PR. l-Lysine helped to control the manifestation by limiting the number of lesions and their location, which were restricted to the legs, thighs and buttocks.