Post-vaccination COVID Toes (Chilblains) Exacerbated by Rituximab Infusion Suggests Interferon Activation as
Jana W Qiao1, Yongwook Dan2, Michael E Wolf3
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey, Hershey, PA, USA.
Military Medicine
|September 27, 2021
Abstract:
Coronavirus disease (COVID) toes are pernio-like skin lesions associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We observed pernio-like skin findings presenting after a Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, which significantly worsened after an infusion of rituximab. This suggests that the mechanism for COVID toes is interferon activation. Military providers may avoid unnecessary referrals for this self-limiting condition by anticipating this adverse effect.
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