Christelle, K., MOHD ZULKIFLI, M., Draman, N. (2022). Anosmia, a Hidden Sign for COVID-19? A Case Report and Literature Review. Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 23(23), 1-8. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2020.31805.1218
Karen Christelle; MARYAM MOHD ZULKIFLI; Nani Draman. "Anosmia, a Hidden Sign for COVID-19? A Case Report and Literature Review". Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 23, 23, 2022, 1-8. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2020.31805.1218
Christelle, K., MOHD ZULKIFLI, M., Draman, N. (2022). 'Anosmia, a Hidden Sign for COVID-19? A Case Report and Literature Review', Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 23(23), pp. 1-8. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2020.31805.1218
Christelle, K., MOHD ZULKIFLI, M., Draman, N. Anosmia, a Hidden Sign for COVID-19? A Case Report and Literature Review. Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 2022; 23(23): 1-8. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2020.31805.1218
Anosmia, a Hidden Sign for COVID-19? A Case Report and Literature Review
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing viral pandemic that is actively affecting 210 countries worldwide. Anosmia has been previously reported anecdotally as an emerging symptom of the COVID-19 and only gained recognition as a symptom for COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) later on in the pandemic. This case report highlights a case of isolated sudden onset of anosmia as a presenting symptom of COVID-19 and relevant literature review supporting the incidence of anosmia in COVID-19. This is a first case report of anosmia in COVID-19 occurring in pregnancy. A 30-year-old pregnant lady at 11 weeks of gestation presented with sudden onset of anosmia for one day with no other accompanying symptoms. She had just recovered from a mild cold a day prior to the development of anosmia. She had a history of travel by land to Singapore 14 days prior to onset of anosmia. There was no known close contact with a COVID-19 patient or attended any mass gatherings prior to development of her symptom. She underwent nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab sampling which was then tested using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method and confirmed infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Clinicians should be aware of anosmia as a presenting symptom of COVID-19 especially in the presence of risk factors such as travel to affected countries and having close contact with COVID-19 positive patients and must always adhere to infection control and prevention protocol.