Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants
IntroductionBased on a large body of previous research suggesting that smell loss was a predictor of COVID-19, we investigated the ability of SCENTinel®, a newly validated rapid olfactory test that assesses odor detection, intensity, and identification, to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection in a community...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1322797/full |
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| author | Stephanie R. Hunter Anne Zola Emily Ho Michael Kallen Edith Adjei-Danquah Chad Achenbach G. Randy Smith Richard Gershon Danielle R. Reed Benjamin Schalet Valentina Parma Pamela H. Dalton |
| author_facet | Stephanie R. Hunter Anne Zola Emily Ho Michael Kallen Edith Adjei-Danquah Chad Achenbach G. Randy Smith Richard Gershon Danielle R. Reed Benjamin Schalet Valentina Parma Pamela H. Dalton |
| author_sort | Stephanie R. Hunter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionBased on a large body of previous research suggesting that smell loss was a predictor of COVID-19, we investigated the ability of SCENTinel®, a newly validated rapid olfactory test that assesses odor detection, intensity, and identification, to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection in a community sample.MethodsBetween April 5, 2021, and July 5, 2022, 1,979 individuals took one SCENTinel® test, completed at least one physician-ordered SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, and endorsed a list of self-reported symptoms.ResultsAmong the of SCENTinel® subtests, the self-rated odor intensity score, especially when dichotomized using a previously established threshold, was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SCENTinel® had high specificity and negative predictive value, indicating that those who passed SCENTinel® likely did not have a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Predictability of the SCENTinel® performance was stronger when the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was dominant rather than when the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was dominant. Additionally, SCENTinel® predicted SARS-CoV-2 positivity better than using a self-reported symptom checklist alone.DiscussionThese results indicate that SCENTinel® is a rapid assessment tool that can be used for population-level screening to monitor abrupt changes in olfactory function, and to evaluate spread of viral infections like SARS-CoV-2 that often have smell loss as a symptom. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:27:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57843b1b3f83405db5d63985d520c173 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:27:40Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-57843b1b3f83405db5d63985d520c1732024-04-10T13:15:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-04-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.13227971322797Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variantsStephanie R. Hunter0Anne Zola1Emily Ho2Michael Kallen3Edith Adjei-Danquah4Chad Achenbach5G. Randy Smith6Richard Gershon7Danielle R. Reed8Benjamin Schalet9Valentina Parma10Pamela H. Dalton11Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesMonell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesMonell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesMonell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesMonell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesIntroductionBased on a large body of previous research suggesting that smell loss was a predictor of COVID-19, we investigated the ability of SCENTinel®, a newly validated rapid olfactory test that assesses odor detection, intensity, and identification, to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection in a community sample.MethodsBetween April 5, 2021, and July 5, 2022, 1,979 individuals took one SCENTinel® test, completed at least one physician-ordered SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, and endorsed a list of self-reported symptoms.ResultsAmong the of SCENTinel® subtests, the self-rated odor intensity score, especially when dichotomized using a previously established threshold, was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SCENTinel® had high specificity and negative predictive value, indicating that those who passed SCENTinel® likely did not have a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Predictability of the SCENTinel® performance was stronger when the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was dominant rather than when the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was dominant. Additionally, SCENTinel® predicted SARS-CoV-2 positivity better than using a self-reported symptom checklist alone.DiscussionThese results indicate that SCENTinel® is a rapid assessment tool that can be used for population-level screening to monitor abrupt changes in olfactory function, and to evaluate spread of viral infections like SARS-CoV-2 that often have smell loss as a symptom.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1322797/fullCOVIDpredictionolfactionanosmiatestinghyposmia |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie R. Hunter Anne Zola Emily Ho Michael Kallen Edith Adjei-Danquah Chad Achenbach G. Randy Smith Richard Gershon Danielle R. Reed Benjamin Schalet Valentina Parma Pamela H. Dalton Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants Frontiers in Public Health COVID prediction olfaction anosmia testing hyposmia |
| title | Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants |
| title_full | Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants |
| title_fullStr | Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants |
| title_short | Using SCENTinel® to predict SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from a community sample during dominance of Delta and Omicron variants |
| title_sort | using scentinel r to predict sars cov 2 infection insights from a community sample during dominance of delta and omicron variants |
| topic | COVID prediction olfaction anosmia testing hyposmia |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1322797/full |
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