As the world tries to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, dermatologists are left in a lurch as there is a lacuna in dermatologic literature as well as training regarding the cutaneous manifestations of varied viral agents capable of causing epidemics/pandemics or the potential to be bio-weaponised. Such outbreaks have the potential to become a pandemic given this age of globalisation. The quote by George Santayana stands true 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'. Thus, this article lends a perspective to the recent viral outbreaks and is aimed at summarising these agents and their clinical features to serve as a quick reference for dermatologists.
Keywords: COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2; Ebola; Lassa fever; bioweapon; chikungunya; dengue; monkeypox; oropouche fever; outbreaks; yellow fever; zika.
© 2020 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.