Acute Olfactory Dysfunction-A Primary Presentation of COVID-19 Infection.
Ear Nose Throat J
; 99(9): 94-98, 2020 Nov.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-695367
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 is a zoonotic illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus and has recently been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, with an estimated fatality rate of 1% to 2%. Early identification and isolation of patients in the preliminary infective stage has been a mainstay of most governmental strategies in order to limit transmission. Four otherwise healthy patients presented to a specialist open access Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic in central London with acute total or subtotal loss of their sense of smell in a single one-week period, coinciding with rapid escalation of COVID-19 infection in the indigenous population. The diagnosis was confirmed by the validated University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) in 3. Endoscopic examination and magnetic resonance imaging (2 cases) excluded a range of alternative potential pathological conditions. Covid-19 antibody testing carried out 6 to 8 weeks after the onset of nasal symptoms showed positive immunoglobulin G antibodies in 3 of the 4 patients. Acute severe anosmia is therefore almost certainly an unusual presenting local nasal feature of a COVID-19 viral infection. All 4 patients achieved significant partial olfactory recovery by one week after treatment with subjective ratings of 40% to 85% of normal (mean 60%) and complete olfaction recovery after 2 to 3 weeks in all 4 patients. The significance, possible pathogenesis, and public health implications are highlighted and discussed.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Olfaction Disorders
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Ear Nose Throat J
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
0145561320940119
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