Diffuse skin rash in tropical areas: the well-known dengue fever or COVID-19?()()

Bandeira, Isabelle Pastor; Chara, Beatriz Sordi; de Carvalho, Giovani Meneguzzi; Gonçalves, Marcus Vinicius Magno

There have been several clinical manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection since 2019, including dermatological signs and symptoms. In this article, the authors report a case of a previously healthy patient with COVID-19 who was mistakenly diagnosed with dengue fever due to the skin rash. By the time the patient's investigation was initiated, Joinville (Santa Catarina, Brazil) had approximately 5,000 confirmed cases of dengue fever and 1,700 cases of COVID-19 in 2020. Thus, the authors emphasize that in endemic regions such as Brazil, the two diseases must be considered until proven otherwise. Finally, the authors warn of the possibility of co-infection with these two viruses in regions that are fighting both epidemics at the same time.