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. 2020 Sep;20(3):2344-2347.
doi: 10.3892/etm.2020.8808. Epub 2020 May 28.

Anosmia and ageusia associated with coronavirus infection (COVID-19) - what is known?

Ingrid Andrada Tanasa  1 , Carmen Manciuc  2 , Alexandru Carauleanu  1 , Dan Bogdan Navolan  3 , Roxana Elena Bohiltea  4 , Dragos Nemescu  1
Affiliations

Anosmia and ageusia associated with coronavirus infection (COVID-19) - what is known?

Ingrid Andrada Tanasa et al. Exp Ther Med. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

In 2020 a new pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is affecting the lives of millions of patients and healthcare workers worldwide. The clinical picture of this infection is in a dynamic process of discovery, and more symptoms emerge as the clinicians observe and diagnose manifestations that affect multiple organs. Anosmia (loss of smell), and ageusia (loss of taste) become more frequently cited as independent symptoms or in association with the most common manifestations of the disease, such as fever, cough and dyspnea. A thorough screening program will prevent most nosocomial and community-acquired infections by promoting efficient triage and specific measures such as isolation of the patients. Therefore, it is important to include frequent symptoms in the anamnesis and questionnaires to select those patients who might benefit from testing, isolation, and treatment. This study summarizes the existing data regarding the association of anosmia and ageusia with the SARS-CoV-2 infection. It also aims to describe manifestations of these, particularly in the clinical picture of all symptomatic patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; ageusia; anosmia; coronavirus.

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