Anosmia and Dysgeusia in the Absence of Other Respiratory Diseases: Should COVID-19 Infection Be Considered?

Lorenzo Villalba, Noel; Maouche, Yasmine; Alonso Ortiz, Maria Belen; Cordoba Sosa, Zaida; Chahbazian, Jean Baptiste; Syrovatkova, Aneska; Pertoldi, Pierre; Andres, Emmanuel; Zulfiqar, Abrar-Ahmad

An 80-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency department for a 5-day history of taste loss preceding smelling problems and fatigue. The was no history of fever, chills or dyspnoea before her admission. Her medical history was relevant for hypertension, heart failure and end-stage chronic renal disease. She lives with her daughter who works in a nursing home and is apparently in good health. Upon admission, the patient was febrile (38.1°C), and had a blood pressure of 100/50 mmHg, heart rate of 90 bmp and oxygen saturation of 92% on room air. On physical examination, she was alert and oriented to time, space and person. Heart sounds were regular without murmurs but the vesicular breath sounds were decreased in the right pulmonary base on auscultation. Blood tests showed leucocytosis (12.6×10 9 /l) with a predominance of polynuclear neutrophils (11.72×10 9 /l) but normal lymphocyte and platelet counts. Electrolytes, liver, renal and coagulation tests were within normal ranges. The chest CT demonstrated the presence of ground-glass opacification in the right lower lobe. The investigations were completed with PCR for SARS-CoV-2 which confirmed the diagnosis of COVID-19. The patient was hospitalized in a normal hospital bed. Asymptomatic treatment and an oxygen supply were initiated. The clinical course was marked by the absence of any clinical or biological complications and the patient was discharged 14 days after hospital admission.