Chemosensory loss in COVID-19

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Non-cell-autonomous disruption of nuclear architecture as a potential cause of COVID-19-induced anosmia

Marianna Zazhytska et al.

Summary: SARS-CoV-2 infection causes downregulation of olfactory receptors and their signaling components, offering insights into its effects on olfaction and other systems.

CELL (2022)

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Review Behavioral Sciences

Taste loss as a distinct symptom of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Publication with Expression of Concern. See vol. 48, 2023)

Mackenzie E. Hannum et al.

Summary: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 376 papers published in 2020-2021 confirmed that 39.2% of COVID-19-positive patients experience taste dysfunction. The study found no significant difference in prevalence estimates between direct and self-report methodologies. Males reported lower rates of taste loss compared to females, and taste loss was most severe among middle-aged adults.

CHEMICAL SENSES (2022)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

Estimating excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis of COVID-19-related mortality, 2020-21

Haidong Wang et al.

Summary: This study estimated excess mortality from the COVID-19 pandemic in 191 countries and territories, as well as 252 subnational units in selected countries from Jan 1, 2020, to Dec 31, 2021. The findings showed that globally, there were 18.2 million excess deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic during this period. The highest excess mortality rates were observed in countries such as India, the USA, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, and Pakistan.

LANCET (2022)

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News Item Multidisciplinary Sciences

COVID'S TRUE DEATH TOLL: MUCH HIGHER THAN OFFICIAL RECORDS

David Adam

NATURE (2022)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

SARS-CoV-2 entry sites are present in all structural elements of the human glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves: Clinical implications

Lynn Vitale-Cross et al.

Summary: Research confirms that SARS-CoV-2 infection may cause the loss of taste in patients. The virus may migrate from the oral cavity to the brainstem respiratory centers through the ninth and tenth cranial nerves.

EBIOMEDICINE (2022)

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Article Infectious Diseases

Secondary infections in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: incidence and predictive factors

Marco Ripa et al.

Summary: The study aimed to describe the incidence and predictive factors of secondary infections in COVID-19 patients. Risk factors identified for secondary infections included low lymphocyte count, baseline PaO2/FiO2 decrease, and ICU admission within the first 48 hours.

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION (2021)

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Article Clinical Neurology

Anosmia in COVID-19: Underlying Mechanisms and Assessment of an Olfactory Route to Brain Infection

Rafal Butowt et al.

Summary: The prevalence of smell and taste dysfunction in COVID-19 differs between populations, possibly due to differences in virus strains or host proteins. Recent progress has been made in defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms of virus-induced anosmia, focusing on the role of sustentacular cells in the olfactory epithelium. The potential for using smell and taste dysfunctions as early diagnostic tools in COVID-19 is discussed.

NEUROSCIENTIST (2021)

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Article Allergy

Clinical Olfactory Working Group consensus statement on the treatment of postinfectious olfactory dysfunction

Alfred B. Addison et al.

Summary: Through systematic review and expert discussion, members of the Clinical Olfactory Working Group overwhelmingly recommended olfactory training as a management option for postinfectious olfactory dysfunction, while no one recommended the use of monocycline antibiotics. The diagnostic role of oral steroids was discussed, with some group members in favor of vitamin A drops as a treatment option. Further research is needed to confirm the efficacy of other therapeutic options.

JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY (2021)

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Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Potential pharmacologic treatments for COVID-19 smell and taste loss: A comprehensive review

Elnaz Khani et al.

Summary: The acute loss of taste and smell caused by COVID-19 is a hallmark symptom affecting 20-85% of patients, with potential treatments including neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, or depolarizing agents. The virus interacts with ACE-2 receptors on sustentacular cells and taste buds, leading to direct damage, while invasion of olfactory neurons and local inflammation are also proposed mechanisms. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors, insulin, and corticosteroids show promise in managing COVID-19-related smell and taste loss.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY (2021)

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Review Microbiology

The role of Neuropilin-1 in COVID-19

Bindu S. Mayi et al.

Summary: NRP-1, a member of a family of signaling proteins, plays a critical role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and may be involved in immune function, transmission pathways, and disease severity. Research suggests NRP-1 could serve as a therapeutic target in SARS-CoV-2 infections, highlighting the need for further study.

PLOS PATHOGENS (2021)

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Article Pathology

Human Type II Taste Cells Express Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 and Are Infected by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (BARS-CoV-2)

Maire E. Doyle et al.

Summary: The study found that SARS-CoV-2 may enter the human body through infecting taste papillae cells, affecting taste receptor stem cell activity and causing taste impairment. Some patients still had not fully recovered, with disrupted taste stem cells.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY (2021)

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Review Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Possible Use of Phytochemicals for Recovery from COVID-19-Induced Anosmia and Ageusia

Sachiko Koyama et al.

Summary: The year 2020 was marked by the outbreak of the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, leading to a global pandemic that extended into 2021. COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has a unique symptom of loss of smell and taste. Various plant chemical compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects can be used in developing new taste training methods to aid in recovery.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES (2021)

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Editorial Material Immunology

Taste Dysfunction and Long COVID-19

Mythily Srinivasan

FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY (2021)

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Review Medicine, General & Internal

The Role of Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Review

Monika Gudowska-Sawczuk et al.

Summary: NRP-1 plays a crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 infection by facilitating viral entry and potentially leading to neurological manifestations. Inhibiting NRP-1 has shown promise as a therapeutic strategy for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, NRP-1 may be associated with pathological changes in the retina during COVID-19.

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE (2021)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal