Tracking Smell Loss to Identify Healthcare Workers with SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Healthcare workers (HCW) treating COVID-19 patients are at high risk for infection and may also spread infection through their contact with vulnerable patients. Smell loss has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it is unknown whether monitoring for smell loss can be used to identify asymptomatic infection among high risk individuals, like HCW.

Methods

We performed a prospective cohort study, tracking 473 HCW across three months to determine if smell loss could predict SARS-CoV-2 infection in this high-risk group. HCW subjects completed a longitudinal, novel behavioral at-home assessment of smell function with household items, as well as detailed symptom surveys that included a parosmia screening questionnaire, and RT-qPCR testing to identify SARS-CoV-2

SUBMITTER: Weiss JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7491536 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature