The loss of taste and smell has become a telltale sign of coronavirus infection for many, experts say, with a new study published this week finding out how common this is for those who have suffered from a mild case of COVID-19.
In a study published on Tuesday in the Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers found that about 86% of people with a mild case of coronavirus lost their 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] is more prevalent in mild COVID-19 forms than in moderate to critical forms, “said the researchers in the study, noting that, according to their research, 75% to 85% of people regained the ability to taste and smell two months later their infection, while 95% of patients recovered the ability to taste and smell in six months.
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It is estimated that 5% of patients, however, had not yet recovered this ability in six months.
In comparison, only about 4% to 7% of people with “moderate to severe” COVID-19 infection reported loss of taste and smell.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that younger patients in COVID-19 were more likely to lose their sense of taste and smell compared to older patients, although the reasoning behind this requires further analysis, they noted.
As to why those with mild cases of COVID-19 were more likely to report loss of taste and smell, the researchers offered an explanation.
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“The main hypothesis underlying the higher prevalence of anosmia in mild COVID-19 would consist of differences in the immune response to infection in mild and moderate to critical patients. In this hypothesis, patients with mild COVID-19 could have a better local immune response through increased production of IgA, which could limit the spread of the virus in the body. The limited spread of the virus in the host’s body could therefore be associated with a mild clinical form of the disease, “they wrote, in part, adding that more studies are needed to prove this theorem.
“[Olfactory dysfunction] it is a prevalent disorder in patients with COVID-19, with a higher prevalence in patients with mild forms of the disease. In the two-month follow-up, 75% to 85% of patients recovered their sense of smell according to subjective and objective olfactory assessments. Future studies are needed to determine the long-term recovery rate of patients with COVID-19, “concluded the researchers.