New-onset cutaneous kaposi's sarcoma following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is associated with several cutaneous manifestations, including chilbain-like lesions, urticaria, erythema multiforme, and maculopapular lesions. Dermatoses may be directly linked to the viral infection or also represent a consequence of systemic therapies administrated for COVID-19. A potential role of SARS-CoV-2 in triggering the reactivation of other viruses, such as HHV-6, HHV-7 and Epstein-Barr virus has been hypothesized. OBJECTIVE: To better understand and hypothesize possible pathogenetic correlations of COVID-19 with other dermatological conditions. METHODS: We report the case of an 83-year-old woman hospitalized in a nursing home for several years. On November 2020, the patient had been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, with repeated positive swabs until January 2021. After a month, new-onset asymptomatic cutaneous purplish macular lesions and violaceous patches occurred bilaterally on the feet. RESULTS: An incisional cutaneous biopsy and the histological examination of the plantar lesion revealed the diagnosis of Kaposi Sarcoma. CONCLUSION: We report a unique case of new-onset bilateral Kaposi's sarcoma following COVID-19, speculating on a possible role of SARS-CoV-2 in the reactivation of human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8) infection.