San Diego, Apr 15: Several people lost their sense of smell or taste weeks ago globally and are still waiting for it to come back and now, researchers have identified an association between sensory loss and novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection, indicating that loss of smell and taste may be considered as early symptoms of the deadly disease.
Interestingly, the study also found that persons who reported experiencing a sore throat more often tested negative for COVID-19.
The team from University of California-San Diego found high prevalence and unique presentation of certain sensory impairments in patients positive with COVID-19.
Of those who reported a loss of smell and taste, the loss was typically profound, not mild.
"Based on our study, if you have smell and taste loss, you are more than 10 times more likely to have COVID-19 infection than other causes of infection. The most common first sign of a COVID-19 infection remains fever, but fatigue and loss of smell and taste follow as other very common initial symptoms," explained study researcher Carol Yan from UC San Diego.
"We know COVID-19 is an extremely contagious virus. This study supports the need to be aware of smell and taste loss as early signs of COVID-19," Yan added.
For the findings, published in the journal International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, the research team surveyed 1,480 patients with flu-like symptoms and concerns regarding potential COVID-19 infection who underwent testing at UC San Diego Health from March 3 through March 29, 2020.
Within that total, 102 patients tested positive for the virus and 1,378 tested negatives. The study included responses from 59 COVID-19-positive patients and 203 COVID-19-negative patients.
Encouragingly, the rate of recovery of smell and taste was high and occurred usually within two to four weeks of infection.
"Our study not only showed that the high incidence of smell and taste is specific to COVID-19 infection but we fortunately also found that for the majority of people sensory recovery was generally rapid," said Yan.
"Among the COVID-19 patients with smell loss, more than 70 per cent had reported improvement of smell at the time of the survey and of those who hadn't reported improvement, many had only been diagnosed recently," she added.
Sensory return typically matched the timing of disease recovery.
In an effort to decrease the risk of virus transmission, UC San Diego Health now includes loss of smell and taste as a screening requirement for visitors and staff, as well as a marker for testing patients who may be positive for the virus.
"It is our hope that with these findings other institutions will follow suit and not only list smell and taste loss as a symptom of COVID-19, but use it as a screening measure for the virus across the world," Yan said.
Comments
ALWYN,,,,THERE R SOME WHO WANT TO EXPLORE,,EVEN PARENTS ARE FINE ABOUT THIS BUT SOCIETY IS NOT ,SOMETIMES IT IS OTHERWISE,,,,ONE SHUD NOT INTERFERE TO THE CERTAIN EXTENT,,IN SOCIETY ONE SHUD KNOW HOW TO ACT AND TALK,,,,,ONE SHUD NOT HURT OTHERS,,,,LOVE JIHAD IS SERIOUS,,,THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO IT FOR FUN,,,AND SOME FOR DEMEANING THE GIRLS REPUTATION AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE COMMUNITY,,,,,,,SOME SOCIETIES ARE VERY REGRESSIVE LIKE MUSLIM COUNTRIES,,,,,,OURS IS OK,,,ONE SHUD NOT FEEL EVERYTIME IT IS THE CASE,,,,,WHEN A COUPLE ACTUALLY LOVES EACH OTHER THEY SHUD BE ALLOWED,,,,THATS THE WHOLE POINT.......
Doorway to Haven AK47 please help us, many of our girls are victim of Love jihad, this is other example. we are help less
NO DC OR BC CAN STOP THIS,,,,,,ITS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD,,,,THIS TIME THE MALE WAS SAVED BECAUSE GIRL IS CHRISTIAN,,,UNTIL NEXT TIME,,,WEN GIRL IS HINDU,,,HE WILL GET IT FOR SURE,,,,,THEN WE WILL C WHAT DC DOES,,,,,NONESENSE PEOPLE TALKING COURAGE ON WEB FORUMS,,,ITS SO MANLY
Koti-an & other chaddis, BURNOL BODA
CHADDIGALIGE BURNOOL BAGHYA....
Shame !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on dirty mind people...........
its not coming from their back ..its coming from Hindutwa Activists mouth
These shameless goondas have no job but to create disturbance in society. Police should book them for wasting time and trying to create communal disturbance. Arrest the leaders of these goonda parties.
One who act against country's CONSTITUTION and tamperning the rules and contents of CONSTITUTION and playing against law and attacking on any particular community or conducting group clash; igniting communal clash is a terrorist and Government and Supreme Court must announce to whole nation and implement.
Then no one dare to show off with DHARMA;SENA; BHAKT BRIGADE etc.
respected deputy commission,
dear sir,
it has been a practice in dakshina kannada that , the sangha pariwar goons always accompany policemen for any raid , which was complained by them.
why you need sangha pariwar goons along with your police men? your police men are not enough to handle the situation? or the police men are also involved in sangha pariwar activities?
this is specially when they raid \minority houses, church, mosque and commercial places only. entire muslims in dakshina kannada knows this routine. thus the minorities are losing faith in police.
kindly requesting your good selves to stop this practice to show that your team is capable to handle any situation, and your team is not supported by the sangha pariwar goons."
Add new comment