#Mouth lesions could be a new coronavirus symptom, study says

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Coronavirus patient who presented with enanthem in their mouth.
JAMA

Coronavirus patients may develop rash-like lesions inside their mouths, a small Spanish study recently concluded.

Researchers involved in the study, published last week in JAMA Dermatology, examined 21 consecutive patients who presented with both a skin rash and COVID-19 at Ramon y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid between March 30 and April 8.

They were looking to determine whether the patients developed enanthem — lesions of the mucous membranes — inside their mouths.

Those lesions were observed in six of the patients, who ranged in age from 40 and 69, four of whom were women.

The researchers noted that the study “describes preliminary observations and is limited by the small number of cases and the absence of a control group.”

“Despite the increasing reports of skin rashes in patients with COVID-19, establishing an etiological diagnosis is challenging,” they wrote.

“However, the presence of enanthem is a strong clue that suggests a viral etiology rather than a drug reaction, especially when a petechial pattern is observed.”

The study also noted that due to safety concerns, many patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 do not have their mouths examined.

Some COVID-19 patients in Italy previously developed enanthem, according to the researchers.

The CDC has outlined multiple coronavirus symptoms, including fever or chills, coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue and muscle or body aches. Skin rashes are not on that list.

Those infected can experience a spectrum of symptoms — ranging from the mild to the severe, according to the CDC.