MADRID (AFP) – Changes to the tongue, hands or soles of the feet could give an early indication of Covid-19 infection, Spanish researchers found in a study presented on Tuesday (January 26).
The findings are evident from research among 666 patients with Covid-19 at the IFEMA Field Hospital in Madrid that was instituted during the first wave of the pandemic, the local government said.
One in four patients said they noticed changes to their tongue, while four in ten saw unusual signs on the palms or soles of their feet.
The study was conducted in April by health workers from La Paz Hospital and Primary Care Services in Madrid, with the findings published in the British Journal of Dermatology in September in the form of a ‘research letter’.
Some patients reported swelling of the tongue and the appearance of spots in the so-called ‘Covid tongue’, which on many occasions was accompanied by loss of taste.
Another symptom was a burning sensation and redness on the palms or soles of the feet, which in some cases was followed by small spots.
“Nearly half of the patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 who were admitted to a field hospital for a period of two weeks showed mucocutaneous findings,” the letter reads.
“The oral cavity was frequently involved and deserves specific examination under appropriate conditions to prevent risk of infection.”