At least six cities in Greater Recife are reporting cases Mysterious itchy skin lesions. This Wednesday (24), Total notifications in the capital of Pernambuco reached 149, in 23 counties. While the cause of the outbreak remains unknown, doctors advise people with symptoms to exercise caution and avoid close contact with other individuals.
Infectious disease and epidemiologist Demetrius explained that “since we do not know what it is, it cannot be said that it is contagious or not. Therefore, we recommend patients to avoid skin-to-body contact.” Montenegro, Head of the Infectious Diseases Sector at Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital. On Wednesday (24), he participated, along with dermatologist Claudia Ferraz, in GC TV interview on this topic.
The doctor explained that, contrary to what is directed towards the prevention of Covid-19, people with these infections do not need isolation or social distancing. “But for this current outbreak, there is one important detail. Usually people share a bed, and if there is a picture of these pests, we advise them to sleep in different beds, not in the same bed. They can even sleep in the same bed but everyone is in your bed,” he stressed. Demetrius.
The Ministry of Health in Recife highlights that, to date, there is no record of exacerbations associated with skin lesions and reinforces the importance of keeping people’s hands sterile and not taking medications alone. “We are evaluating the most common age group affected by these infections and how many residents of the same house have the same condition. Only one? More than one? All this makes us wonder if this disease is transmitted by contact, person to person, or if it is A disease caused by a factor that causes an external allergy, all this makes us think of infinite possibilities. We do not exclude or confirm hypotheses ”, emphasizes Demetrius Montenegro.
During the interview, dermatologist Claudia Ferraz provided guidance for affected people to relieve itchy lesions. “Since we have not yet reached a diagnosis, we are working to relieve the symptoms. If there is severe itching, we advise you to look for a healthy unit. The severity of the itching. If there are many abrasions, explained dermatologist Claudia Ferraz, Vice President of the Brazilian Society Dermatologist/Department of Pernambuco (SBD-PE) and Physician at Hospital das Clinicas (HC) of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE).
Doctors also talked about differences in the duration of symptoms. “There are patients who get better quickly, but there are patients whose condition lasts more than ten days,” said Demetrius Montenegro. For him, since the cases started in locations close to forested areas, there is a possibility that the outbreak was caused by an environmental imbalance, which could lead an insect to cause itchy skin lesions. “But tomorrow (today) a group of infected people will go to Hook for a skin biopsy, which will follow for evaluation, in order to try to discover the cause of the outbreak,” he added.
Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
