Viral infections may trigger hives that last months or turn chronic in some people

Many people get hives after a cold or flu. But for some, those spots do not go away quickly. A new review looked at 596 children and adults who had hives linked to viral infections. The team wanted to know if these cases would last a long time or come back again. They also checked if the hives would turn into a chronic condition that never fully stops. The results show that up to 9.5 percent of cases lasted longer than six months. Another 7 to 30 percent of people experienced hives that returned or did not heal. This means the rash can linger for a long time after the virus is gone. The review also noted a specific link to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. People who had hives after this infection were more likely to develop a chronic form of the disease. This pattern suggests the virus might change how the immune system reacts to hives.