Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Feb 22:21:11.
eCollection 2024.

Evaluation of taste score and fungiform papillae quantification using digital image analysis in COVID-19 patients with smell and taste dysfunction

Vidya Chikkarahalli Srikantaiah  1 , Anil Somashekara Bilimale  2 , Vidya Gowdappa Doddawad  3 , Srinath Kenkere Marulaiah  4 , Hathur Basavana Gowdappa  4 , Ranjitha Shankaregowda  5 , Basavegowda Madhu  6 , Amulya Manohar Thotambailu  7 , Raghu Ram Achar  8
Affiliations

Evaluation of taste score and fungiform papillae quantification using digital image analysis in COVID-19 patients with smell and taste dysfunction

Vidya Chikkarahalli Srikantaiah et al. Dent Res J (Isfahan). .

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created a major global health crisis in recent years. Despite this, there have been few studies that have utilized reliable methods to assess changes in taste and smell perception. Therefore, our study aims at the number of fungiform papillae and objective measures of taste perception relationship among COVID-19 patients with olfactory and gustatory disorders.

Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study in which 57 COVID-19 patients were recruited who confirmed the dysfunction of taste and smell. Objective assessment of the sense of taste was evaluated using four different standardized solution preparations, and the scores were given according to the patient's statements. Digitalized quantification of fungiform papillae was counted. The data were analyzed with the Pearson's correlation coefficient using the SPSS version. 23 [Licensed JSSAHER, Mysuru, Karnataka, India], and the level of significance was set at <0.001.

Results: In terms of altered or reduced taste and smell, male patients exhibited a higher incidence compared to females. Compared to the sour taste, a substantial number of COVID-19 patients have displayed a notable decrease in their ability to taste sweet, salty, and bitter flavors. However, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between taste scores and fungiform papillae density (r = 0.518, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our Study demonstrated that the quantitative evaluation of taste perception and the count of fungiform papillae can serve as important indicators of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and could potentially help in the early detection and treatment of COVID-19 patients, as reduced taste function is a significant marker of the disease.

Keywords: Agnosia; COVID-19; dysgeusia; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; taste perception.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors of this manuscript declare that they have no conflicts of interest, real or perceived, financial or nonfinancial in this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stained anterior 2 cm of tongue divided into 8 areas using Adobe Photoshop.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The assessment of basic taste perception at the dorsal surface of the anterior part of the tongue.
Graph 1
Graph 1
Correlation of fungiform papillae density and taste scores of basic tastes (sweet, salt, sour, and bitter) among COVID-19 patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, De Siati DR, Horoi M, Le Bon SD, Rodriguez A, et al. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions as a clinical presentation of mild-to-moderate forms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A multicenter European study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020;277:2251–61. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Struyf T, Deeks JJ, Dinnes J, Takwoingi Y, Davenport C, Leeflang MM, et al. Signs and symptoms to determine if a patient presenting in primary care or hospital outpatient settings has COVID-19 disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;7:CD013665. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Menni C, Valdes AM, Freidin MB, Sudre CH, Nguyen LH, Drew DA, et al. Real-time tracking of self-reported symptoms to predict potential COVID-19. Nat Med. 2020;26:1037–40. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Song J, Deng YK, Wang H, Wang ZC, Liao B, Ma J, et al. Self-reported taste and smell disorders in patients with COVID-19: Distinct features in China. Curr Med Sci. 2021;41:14–23. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rao A, Vidya CS, Smitha MC, Vidya GD. Digital image quantification of fungiform papillae to assess decreased taste sensation among geriatric patients. J Morphol Sci. 2022;39:66–70.

LinkOut - more resources