Vitiligo is a relatively common acquired pigmentary disorder, possibly caused by a T CD8+ cell-mediated autoimmune process, which may be enhanced after the immune activation of COVID-19 disease.
SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated vitiligo
In fact, immune activation during COVID-19 disease might increase vitiligo disease activity through a shift toward adaptive type 1 immunity (CD8 T cells and IFNγ).
Vitiligo may be an example of an autoimmune disease triggered by viral infection in a genetically predisposed host.
Our understanding of autoimmune reactions following COVID-19 vaccination continues to expand, and this case emphasizes that COVID-19 vaccination may be among the list of triggers for vitiligo.
In summary, in most cases, you are not at a higher risk of getting COVID-19 if you have vitiligo.
Vitiligo is generally considered to be an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and organs. In people with vitiligo the immune system appears to attack the pigment cells (melanocytes) in the skin .
What causes vitiligo? Vitiligo is caused by the lack of a pigment called melanin in the skin. Melanin is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and it gives your skin its colour. In vitiligo, there are not enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in your skin.
To our knowledge this is the first report of presenting onset generalized and persistent skin pigmentation following COVID‐19 vaccination，and clinicians need to be aware of this possible cutaneous adverse effects related to COVID‐19 vaccination.
Two studies that use large cohorts now highlight that SARS-CoV-2 infection is linked to a substantially increased risk of developing a diverse spectrum of new-onset autoimmune diseases. Refers to: Chang, R. et al. Risk of autoimmune diseases in patients with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study.
The findings showed that COVID-19 patients were 43.0% more likely to acquire autoimmune conditions, within three to 15.0 months of infection, compared to over one million age- and sex-matched uninfected individuals.
However, for many people with vitiligo, the white patches begin to appear before age 20, and can start in early childhood. Vitiligo seems to be more common in people who have a family history of the disorder or who have certain autoimmune diseases, including: Addison's disease. Pernicious anemia.
Conclusion: some hormonal indicators have a role in pathogenesis of vitiligo where their disturbance leads to melanocyte destruction and/or depigmentation. Vitiligo is an idiopathic disorder of skin and hair characterized by melanin loss.
Vitiligo can start at any age, but usually appears before age 30. Depending on the type of vitiligo you have, it may affect: Nearly all skin surfaces. With this type, called universal vitiligo, the discoloration affects nearly all skin surfaces.
As a result of these effects, people who have had COVID-19 may be more likely to develop new health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, blood clots, or neurological conditions compared with people who have not had COVID-19.
Pityriasis versicolor can sometimes be confused with vitiligo, as they both cause the skin to become discoloured in patches. But there are ways to tell the difference: vitiligo often develops symmetrically (on both sides of your body at the same time), while pityriasis versicolor may not.
We reported six cases of neurological diseases (19.3%) ranging from mild peripheral neuropathy to more severe diseases including, central demyelination Bickerstaff encephalitis, myasthenia gravis, meningeal headache, acute motor axonal neuropathy, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.
The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system. This may happen more often in people who have genes that make them more prone to autoimmune disorders.
The symptoms, such as chronic pain, brain fog, shortness of breath, chest pain, and intense fatigue, can be debilitating. Severe cases of Long COVID can even affect the body's organs. But imaging tests don't always show the origins of those symptoms.
COVID can also cause a rash on the body called pityriasis rosea. This starts with a single, large red patch, followed a few days later by many smaller red/darker patches on the middle part of your body, for example, your chest, stomach or back. These are not too itchy.
In a 2020 analysis of 171 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and cutaneous manifestations from the registry, the most commonly reported cutaneous manifestations were morbilliform rash (22 percent), pernio-like acral lesions (18 percent), urticaria (16 percent), macular erythema (13 percent), vesicular eruption ...
Light therapy exposes your skin to a type of ultraviolet (UV) light that can restore your natural skin color. If a large area of your body needs treatment, your dermatologist may prescribe a type of light therapy called phototherapy. During phototherapy, you expose your skin to UV light for a specific amount of time.
The authors have reported a case of vitiligo in Saudi Arabia that has shown spontaneous reversal of vitiligo manifested in the form of repigmentation of macular lesions. It is an extremely rare phenomenon, as the majority of vitiligo patients show a progressive pattern.
No drug can stop the process of vitiligo — the loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). But some drugs, used alone, in combination or with light therapy, can help restore some color. Drugs that control inflammation. Applying a corticosteroid cream to affected skin might return color.