SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Taste Alteration: An Overview

Area of Science:

• Oral Medicine
• Virology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• COVID-19 management presents challenges, with SARS-CoV-2 affecting multiple organs beyond the respiratory system.
• The oral cavity is a significant entry point for SARS-CoV-2, with viral entry factors present in oral epithelial cells, taste buds, and salivary glands.
• Oral symptoms like taste changes and salivary dysfunction can precede systemic COVID-19 manifestations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and discuss the prevalence and socio-demographics of taste disturbances in COVID-19 patients.
• To analyze current international data on gustatory dysfunction associated with COVID-19.
• To examine hypothesized pathogenetic mechanisms and their impact on oral symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of international literature on COVID-19 and taste disturbances.
• Analysis of prevalence data, considering country, age, and sex.
• Evaluation of proposed mechanisms underlying viral-induced gustatory dysfunction.

Main Results:

• COVID-19 patients frequently experience gustatory dysfunction (taste disturbances).
• The prevalence of taste disturbances varies significantly across different countries, age groups, and sexes.
• The duration of taste dysfunction is often related to the severity of COVID-19 illness.

Conclusions:

• Taste disturbances are a common symptom in COVID-19 patients.
• Viral interaction with oral tissues and entry factors (ACE2, TMPRSS2, Furin) is implicated in gustatory dysfunction.
• Further research is needed to confirm the precise pathogenetic mechanisms of taste loss in COVID-19.