Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
<h4>Introduction</h4>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 l...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248025 |
| _version_ | 1798027763935870976 |
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| author | Julian J Weiss Tuki N Attuquayefio Elizabeth B White Fangyong Li Rachel S Herz Theresa L White Melissa Campbell Bertie Geng Rupak Datta Anne L Wyllie Nathan D Grubaugh Arnau Casanovas-Massana M Catherine Muenker Adam J Moore Ryan Handoko Akiko Iwasaki Richard A Martinello Albert I Ko Dana M Small Shelli F Farhadian Yale IMPACT Research Team |
| author_facet | Julian J Weiss Tuki N Attuquayefio Elizabeth B White Fangyong Li Rachel S Herz Theresa L White Melissa Campbell Bertie Geng Rupak Datta Anne L Wyllie Nathan D Grubaugh Arnau Casanovas-Massana M Catherine Muenker Adam J Moore Ryan Handoko Akiko Iwasaki Richard A Martinello Albert I Ko Dana M Small Shelli F Farhadian Yale IMPACT Research Team |
| author_sort | Julian J Weiss |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Introduction</h4>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. In this study we sought to determine if tracking smell sensitivity and loss using an at-home assessment could identify SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCW.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>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, behavioral at-home assessment of olfaction with household items, as well as detailed symptom surveys that included a parosmia screening questionnaire, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction testing to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our main measures were the prevalence of smell loss in SARS-CoV-2-positive HCW versus SARS-CoV-2-negative HCW, and timing of smell loss relative to SARS-CoV-2 test positivity. SARS-CoV-2 was identified in 17 (3.6%) of 473 HCW. HCW with SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to report smell loss than SARS-CoV-2-negative HCW on both the at-home assessment and the screening questionnaire (9/17, 53% vs 105/456, 23%, P < .01). 6/9 (67%) of SARS-CoV-2-positive HCW reporting smell loss reported smell loss prior to having a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, and smell loss was reported a median of two days before testing positive. Neurological symptoms were reported more frequently among SARS-CoV-2-positive HCW who reported smell loss compared to those without smell loss (9/9, 100% vs 3/8, 38%, P < .01).<h4>Conclusions</h4>In this prospective study of HCW, self-reported changes in smell using two different measures were predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Smell loss frequently preceded a positive test and was associated with neurological symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:57:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec26a4af11d24cf8ab8398f1d8c5b292 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:57:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec26a4af11d24cf8ab8398f1d8c5b2922022-12-22T04:08:08ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01163e024802510.1371/journal.pone.0248025Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection.Julian J WeissTuki N AttuquayefioElizabeth B WhiteFangyong LiRachel S HerzTheresa L WhiteMelissa CampbellBertie GengRupak DattaAnne L WyllieNathan D GrubaughArnau Casanovas-MassanaM Catherine MuenkerAdam J MooreRyan HandokoAkiko IwasakiRichard A MartinelloAlbert I KoDana M SmallShelli F FarhadianYale IMPACT Research Team<h4>Introduction</h4>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. In this study we sought to determine if tracking smell sensitivity and loss using an at-home assessment could identify SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCW.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>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, behavioral at-home assessment of olfaction with household items, as well as detailed symptom surveys that included a parosmia screening questionnaire, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction testing to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our main measures were the prevalence of smell loss in SARS-CoV-2-positive HCW versus SARS-CoV-2-negative HCW, and timing of smell loss relative to SARS-CoV-2 test positivity. SARS-CoV-2 was identified in 17 (3.6%) of 473 HCW. HCW with SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to report smell loss than SARS-CoV-2-negative HCW on both the at-home assessment and the screening questionnaire (9/17, 53% vs 105/456, 23%, P < .01). 6/9 (67%) of SARS-CoV-2-positive HCW reporting smell loss reported smell loss prior to having a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, and smell loss was reported a median of two days before testing positive. Neurological symptoms were reported more frequently among SARS-CoV-2-positive HCW who reported smell loss compared to those without smell loss (9/9, 100% vs 3/8, 38%, P < .01).<h4>Conclusions</h4>In this prospective study of HCW, self-reported changes in smell using two different measures were predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Smell loss frequently preceded a positive test and was associated with neurological symptoms.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248025 |
| spellingShingle | Julian J Weiss Tuki N Attuquayefio Elizabeth B White Fangyong Li Rachel S Herz Theresa L White Melissa Campbell Bertie Geng Rupak Datta Anne L Wyllie Nathan D Grubaugh Arnau Casanovas-Massana M Catherine Muenker Adam J Moore Ryan Handoko Akiko Iwasaki Richard A Martinello Albert I Ko Dana M Small Shelli F Farhadian Yale IMPACT Research Team Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. PLoS ONE |
| title | Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
| title_full | Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
| title_fullStr | Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
| title_short | Tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
| title_sort | tracking smell loss to identify healthcare workers with sars cov 2 infection |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248025 |
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