The study aims to test the frequency of severe acute respiratory syndrome new corona virus SARS-CoV-2 or other respiratory viruses in patients presenting with anosmia or dysgeusia to Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt.
Fifty Patients presenting to Triage and/or Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinics in Ain Shams
University Hospitals with the chief complaint of Anosmia/ dysgeusia in the period July-
September 2020; will undergo thorough history taking, clinical assessment and polymers chain
reaction rt-PCR to SARS-COV2; and if proven negative to COVID 19, PCR to other respiratory
pathogens will be tested. COVID-19 patients will be managed according to the standard
protocol of Ain Shams University Hospitals. Follow up after 3 weeks for the outcome of
recovery of the smell sense and seroconversion by rapid test for immunoglobulins IgM/ IgG of
COVID 19, for the probability of a false negative PCR at initial visit.
Ethical committee approval for the current study protocol was obtained. Patients will be
invited to participate and the informed consent will be signed.
Inclusion Criteria:
- adult (>18 years) patients presented with acute-onset anosmia.
Exclusion Criteria:
- patients with anosmia or gustatory dysfunctions before the epidemic; patients with
previous history of chronic sinusitis or previous sinus surgery.
Ain Shams University
Cairo, Egypt
Ossama I Mansour, MD, Principal Investigator
Ain Shams University