According to experts, a loss of taste and smell has become a sign of a coronavirus infection, with a new study published this week finding how common it is for those suffering from a mild case of COVID-19.
In a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers found that about 86% of people with a mild case of the coronavirus lost their sense of taste and smell.
The study involved more than 2,500 patients in 18 European hospitals. (iStock)
The study involved more than 2,500 patients in 18 European hospitals.
“[Olfactory dysfunction] occurs more in mild COVID-19 forms than in moderate to critical forms, “the researchers said in the study, noting that 75% to 85% of people, according to their research, two months later have their ability to taste and smell, regained their infection, while 95% of patients regained their ability to taste and smell after six months.
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However, it is estimated that 5% of patients have not regained this ability in six months.
By comparison, only about 4% to 7% of those with a “moderate to severe” COVID-19 infection lost their loss of taste and smell.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that younger COVID-19 patients were more likely to lose their sense of taste and smell compared to older patients, although the reasoning for this needs to be further analyzed.
As to why those with mild cases of COVID-19 would be more likely to lose loss of taste and smell, the researchers gave an explanation.
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“The main hypothesis underlying the higher incidence of anosmia in mild COVID-19 would be differences in the immune response to the infection in mild and moderate to critical patients. In this hypothesis, patients with mild COVID-19 may have a better local immunological response by a higher production of IgA, which may limit the spread of the virus in the organism. The limited virus spread in the host body may therefore be associated with a mild clinical form of the disease, “they wrote in part, adding that more studies are needed to prove this statement.
“[Olfactory dysfunction] is a common disorder in COVID-19 patients with a higher incidence in patients with mild forms of the disease. At the two-month follow-up, 75% to 85% of the patients recovered olfaction according to subjective and objective olfactory evaluations. Future studies are needed to determine the long-term recovery rate of COVID-19 patients, ‘the researchers concluded.