Anosmia—An Effect of COVID-19 Infection-Review

Abstract

The World Health Organization announced on March 11, 2020 that COVID-19 could become a pandemic. COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). Viruses usually enter the body through the mouth or nose. The virus then enters the alveoli, which are small air sacs inside the lungs. Cough, fatigue, fever, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties, and loss of smell and taste are all symptoms of COVID-19. Anosmia, also known as smell blindness, is a condition in which the ability to detect one or more smells is lost. Olfaction uses chemoreceptors to create signals that are processed in the brain and form the sense of smell in anosmia. Anosmia is recognised as a COVID-19 symptom in many countries, and some have developed "smell tests" as potential screening tools. The first level of screening, which is currently used in India, is primarily based on temperature and can result in false positives and negatives (fever as a symptom has not yet been developed although infection). One of the methods for detecting COVID-19 is an intermediate level of screening based on assessing an olfactory function, depending on the usage. This paper provides an overview of COVID-19 and its effects on the human body, as well as an overview of anosmia and how it contributes to one of the symptoms of COVID-19.

Prevalence and association of oral manifestations with disease severity in patients diagnosed with COVID‑19: A cross‑sectional study

“…anosmia and olfactory symptoms in patients with CoVID-19 are considered to be related to inflammation and damage to the olfactory nerves or receptors. these symptoms can vary in severity and duration among individuals (25). the results of the present study demonstrated that 47 individuals (90.4%) in the CoVID-19 group were receiving cortisone-based treatment (table XI).…”

“…Anosmia and olfactory symptoms in patients with COVID-19 are considered to be related to inflammation and damage to the olfactory nerves or receptors. These symptoms can vary in severity and duration among individuals ( 25 ).…”

“…At present, anosmia, a condition characterized by the inability to perceive odors, mostly attributed to COVID-19 infection, may manifest as either partial or total and exhibit either transient or permanent effects ( 11 , 24 ). According to the study by Shamsundara and Jayalakshmi ( 25 ) the occurrence of anosmia is prevalent among the majority of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, but often presents as a passing symptom. The same study mentioned that those identified with the virus had a much higher likelihood of experiencing olfactory dysfunction, with a 27-fold increase compared to the general population ( 25 ).…”

“…According to the study by Shamsundara and Jayalakshmi ( 25 ) the occurrence of anosmia is prevalent among the majority of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, but often presents as a passing symptom. The same study mentioned that those identified with the virus had a much higher likelihood of experiencing olfactory dysfunction, with a 27-fold increase compared to the general population ( 25 ). In a randomized control trial, Rashid et al ( 26 ) concluded that symptoms, including ageusia were experienced together with anosmia in 234 individuals, accounting for 84.8% of the total participants of the study.…”

COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease: Impact of lockdown and other restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The impact of COVID-19 on the lungs is caused by a complex molecular pathogenesis that involves interactions between the virus and the human respiratory system. The majority of COVID-19 patients experience mild flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, rhinorrhea, general malaise, and loss of taste and smell which are brought on by the virus [ 15 ]. However, a small percentage of individuals develop severe respiratory distress arising from the ensuing acute lung injury (ALI), such as pneumonia, which is typically accompanied by coagulopathy and can require mechanical ventilation in extreme cases.…”