Loss of Taste and Smell from COVID Improves Over Three Years
Individuals experiencing diminished taste and smell due to COVID-19 may observe a recovery in these senses three years post-infection ().
Loss of smell and taste was one of the early indicators of the infectious disease. However, subsequent variants have had far less impact on taste and smell, with the Omicron variant having almost no perceptible impact.
Long-Term Effects of COVID on Smell and Taste
The study, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, researchers investigated the long-term loss of the ability to smell and taste in 88 individuals who had mild symptoms of COVID who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in March and April of 2020.‘Individuals with PCC (post-COVID condition) who show changes in their sense of smell should find reassurance in the ongoing recovery of their ability to smell, which seems to persist for over three years following the initial infection. #COVID #lossofsmell #lossoftaste’
The prevalence of self-reported smell or taste dysfunction was 64.8 percent, 31.8 percent, 20.5 percent and 15.9 percent during the acute phase of COVID, at 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year follow-up, respectively, said the researchers from the University of Trieste, Italy.
If participants were age 50 or younger at the time of enrollment, they were less likely to report long-lasting loss of taste or smell. The study led by suggests a favorable rehabilitation of smell and taste function over the 3-year observation period, with taste showing lower frequency and faster recovery than smell.
By year 3, there were no statistically significant excess of olfactory dysfunction (OD) between cases and controls (13.6 percent vs 10.2 percent).
Reference:
- Olfactory and Gustatory Function 3 Years After Mild COVID-19 - (https:jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2811861)
Source: IANS