Anosmia and Ageusia in Covid-19 Patients

Volume 5 - Issue 3

Kartik Irappa Patil¹, Rukmini M Prabhu¹*, Priya Jose², Harshitha Chandrashekarappa² and Borlingegowda Viswanatha³

Received: September 25, 2020;   Published: October 05, 2020

DOI: 10.32474/SJO.2020.05.000211

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Abstract

Introduction: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2(SARS CoV2), started in Wuhan in China at December 2019.The symptoms mainly included fatigue, fever, dry and productive cough, shortness of breath, chest compression, myalgia, diarrhea, vomiting, anorexia, headache, sore throat, dizziness, palpitations, and, chest pain. Anosmia and/or ageusia may present as a symptom alone in cases of COVID-19. Hence it is necessary to test or quarantine patients with these complaints.

Aims and objectives: To determine the prevalence of anosmia and ageusia in patients with COVID-19 presenting to our tertiary care center.

Materials and Methods: All patients with confirmed real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive testing for the SARS -CoV-2 viral genome was assessed for symptoms and signs of olfactory and taste disturbance.Patients were asked to quantify their loss of sense of smell and taste, subjectively into mild, moderate and severe.

Results: Out of 2000 patients 95 patients (4.75%) had loss of sense of smell, and 143 patients (7.15%) had taste disturbance. 85 patients (4.25%) had both loss of smell and taste sensation. Out of 95 patients with loss of smell sensation, 25 patients (26.31%) had associated comorbidities, 32 patients (22.37%) out of the 143 with loss of taste sensation had comorbidities and 19(22.35%) patients out of the 110 patients with loss of both sensations had associated comorbidities.Out of 95 patients with loss of smell sensation, 72 (75.78%) patients recovered spontaneously. Out of 143 patients with loss of taste, 102 (79.44) patients recovered spontaneously. Among the patients with both symptoms, 59 (69.41%) recovered spontaneously.

Conclusion: Loss of smell and taste sensation is common, especially in COVID-19 disease with mild to moderate symptoms, and it can appear without any other general and ENT-related symptoms associated with COVID-19 disease or it may be the only symptom of COVID-19 disease. During the COVID-19 pandemic, screening tests performed in patients with loss of taste and smell sensation due to suspected COVID-19 disease will allow early diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; anosmia; ageusia; prevalence

Abstract| Introduction| Materials and Methods| Results| Discussion| Conclusion| References|