Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunction in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Jan C Luers; Alexander C Rokohl; Niklas Loreck; Philomena A Wawer Matos; Max Augustin; Felix Dewald; Florian Klein; Clara Lehmann; Ludwig M Heindl

doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa525

Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunction in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Nov 19;71(16):2262-2264. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa525.

Authors

Jan C Luers¹, Alexander C Rokohl², Niklas Loreck², Philomena A Wawer Matos², Max Augustin^{3

4

5}, Felix Dewald⁶, Florian Klein⁶, Clara Lehmann^{3

4

5}, Ludwig M Heindl²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
² Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
³ Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
⁴ German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
⁵ Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
⁶ Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly worldwide. Given scarce resources, nonlaboratory diagnostics are crucial. In this cross-sectional study, two-thirds of European patients with confirmed COVID-19 reported olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, indicating the significance of these symptoms in early diagnostics.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Nasal symptoms; Olfaction; Sense of taste.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
COVID-19 / complications
COVID-19 / diagnosis*
COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing
Cross-Sectional Studies
Early Diagnosis*
Female
Germany
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nose / virology
Olfaction Disorders / virology*
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2
Smell
Surveys and Questionnaires
Symptom Assessment
Taste
Taste Disorders / virology*
Young Adult