Skin manifestations of infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus during its pandemic (review)

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In 2019—2023, the world experienced a Public Health Emergency of International Concern related to the pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), during which the virus mutated and spread, changing its transmissibility, infectivity, and ability to cause severe forms of the disease. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of reports of skin manifestations accompanying infection caused by the ­SARS-CoV-2 virus has increased. Objective — to summarize data on the specific features of skin manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the COVID-19 pandemic and to improve further research in this direction. Materials and methods. The bibliosemantic research method was used. The research materials are publications in foreign and Ukrainian scientific journals related to the meta-analysis of studies of skin manifestations in COVID-19, as well as individual clinical observations. Results and discussion. A summary of a number of studies in the meta-analysis format conducted on materials from patient contingents in European, Asian and American countries showed the early appearance of skin manifestations in about 10 % of patients with COVID-19 before the onset of the respiratory process. Skin manifestations can occur in both asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients and patients with severe disease. No clear correlation was found between the severity of typical clinical manifestations of COVID-19, viral load and the nature of skin manifestations. The most common cutaneous manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection are urticaria, acral pernio-like lesions, maculopapular lesions, vesicular «pox-like» and «morbilliform» erythematous lesions, and skin lesions resembling erythema multiforme, livedo reticularis, and livedo racemosa. Conclusions. Dermatologists can play an important role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by early recognition of skin lesions, especially in paucisymptomatic infections, where this recognition can guide early diagnosis of the infection, which certainly leads to a better prognosis. Skin manifestations can be a prominent feature of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and these lesions may be poorly recognized due to the lack of routine dermatological consultations during the pandemic.