Lesions and other dermatologic manifestations have been observed as a potential symptom of COVID-19. These lesions can appear in several places, including the feet. The "COVID Toes" phenomenon requires further study.

AAD COVID-19 Registry

In 2020, APMA worked closely with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) on its established COVID-19 registry, www.aad.org/covidregistry. Listen to this message from then-APMA President Seth Rubenstein, DPM, about the value of your participation.

APMA encourages its members to report cases of lesions on the feet associated with COVID-19 through this registry because it could have immediate and long-term strategic benefits for our profession.

“The emergence of so-called 'COVID Toes' is an opportunity for our profession to both contribute meaningful data as well as assist with research, publish papers, and collaborate with another medical specialty in education and research opportunities. Developing peer-to-peer relationships with the house of medicine can also open other doors for advocacy and education,” then-APMA President Seth Rubenstein, DPM, said. The principal investigator of the AAD Registry, Esther Freeman, MD, PhD, shared that, “We have seen a broad range of cutaneous manifestations in COVID-19, many of which involve the extremities and acral surfaces. We look forward to collaborating with our colleagues from APMA.”

The AAD COVID Registry is HIPAA-compliant and Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved.

Webinar

In early 2020, Tracey Vlahovic, DPM, reviewed dermatologic manifestations of viral diseases, including those associated with COVID-19. You can watch Dr. Vlahovic below as she discusses scientific literature related to dermatologic manifestations and how they are related to podiatric medicine. 

Download a PDF of the presentation.

Academic Sources

"COVID-19 and Dermatology: One Year in Review"
Editorial, Dermatol Clin, October 2021. Esther Freeman, PhD, and Devon McMahon, MD

"The spectrum of COVID-19-associated dermatologic manifestations: An international registry of 716 patients from 31 countries"
J Am Acad Dermatol, October 2020. Freeman E, et al.

"Foot Manifestations in a COVID-19 Positive Patient: A Case Study"
Clinical Correspondence, JAPMA, May 4, 2020. Michael Nirenberg, DPM, and Maria del Mar Ruiz Herrera

"Addressing the Question of Dermatologic Manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Lower Extremities: A Closer Look at the Available Data and its Implications"
Letter to the Editor, JAPMA, April 20, 2020. Rami Basatneh, DPM, and Tracey Vlahovic, DPM