Patna, May 9 (UNI) Nearly 73 per cent of the patients lost sense of smell (anosmia) prior to COVID-19 diagnosis, according to American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, which has revealed that anosmia (loss of smell) and dysgeusia (loss of taste) are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Such patients were potentially asymptomatic carriers of the Covid-19 infection.
A pilot study conducted by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery analysed the first 237 entries, which revealed that anosmia was noted in 73 per cent of patients prior to COVID-19 diagnosis and was the initial symptom in 26.6 per cent.
Anosmia can be a presenting symptom of COVID-19, the study added.
According to some other published and unpublished anecdotal reports of anosmia related to COVID-19, emanating from around the world, including South Korea, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Iran, and the United States nearly 15 per cent of 3,191 cases in South Korea had anosmia or dysgeusia.
This was found by the Daegu City Council during an informal phone survey.
Hendrick Streeck, a German virologist, reported loss of smell and taste in over two-thirds of 100 people interviewed with mild symptoms from COVID-19.
Massimo Galli, an Italian infectious disease specialist at the University of Milan, noted that anosmia and dysgeusia seem to be observed in patients with even modest symptoms or limited severity, however, these appear to present later in the course of infection.
An Iranian study on 10,069 patients with anosmia or hyposmia (unknown COVID-19 status) noted sudden symptom onset in 76.2per cent.
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