Issue 7/2022
Prof. Dr. L. Miteva, MD
Head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital „Alexandrovska“ – Sofia
Covid-19 is an acute infectious disease declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. It is caused by a specific virus strain, the so-called SARS-CoV-2. Monitoring of the COVID-19 pandemic affects severe pulmonary and cardiovascular events, but there are increasing reports in the scientific literature of dermatological problems during the course of the disease as well as during the recovery period. Scientific data demonstrate mucocutaneous manifestations at all stages of coronavirus infection and manifest a wide variety. The most common are varicella and morbiliform. Vascular and, less commonly, urticarial dermatological problems have been observed (1). Not to be overlooked is the use of disinfectants as part of the anti-epidemic measures against COVID-19, which is in fact an exogenous factor damaging the epidermal barrier and causing eczema processes in the hands. These skin problems are especially common in physicians, as the use of disinfectants in large quantities is a part of their professional daily routine. Chronic recurrent inflammatory dermatoses, such as atopic dermatitis, which is exacerbated by COVID-19, also play an important role in the topic of skin problems. Therefore, solutions for skin protection and anti-inflammatory effects require effective and gentle barrier function of the skin anti-inflammatory therapy, as well as increasing the use of high-tech emollients.
Address for correspondence:
L. Miteva
Department of Dermatology and Venereology,
UMHAT „Alehandrovska”
1, „ St. Georgi Sofiyski ”, Str.
1431, Sofia, Bulgaria
e-mail: lubka_miteva@abv.bg