Olfactory Dysfunction: A Clinical Marker of COVID-19

Abstract

Due to the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, many health systems worldwide are overwhelmed, leading to the triggering of the scarcity of medical resources. The identification of indicators that require hospital admission help in the efficient allocation of medical resources. Olfactory impairment is also one of the indicators of COVID-19 infection. Many studies have analyzed olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 with a variable prevalence rate but underreporting of this problem is very much likely as the problem is considered benign. Many scientific societies have stated that olfactory dysfunction is a frequent symptom of COVID-19 and have published recommendations for it.

Keywords

• anosmia; olfactory dysfunction; SARS-CoV-2