Atypical otolaryngologic manifestations of COVID-19: a review

Zahran, Mohamed; Ghazy, Rania; Ahmed, Omar; Youssef, Ahmed

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 started in China in late 2019. Clinical features include fever, cough, dyspnea, body aches, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Some COVID-19-positive patients presented with unusual manifestations such as olfactory dysfunction, parotitis, or cervical lymphadenopathy. MAIN BODY: Since many patients are diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, the need for an up to date review of the atypical ENT presentations of COVID-19 is mandatory. Articles from PubMed and Google searches were reviewed and the atypical presentations in otolaryngology were presented. CONCLUSIONS: It is crucial for ENT physicians to have high index of suspicion to identify those COVID 19 patients with atypical presentations. This facilitates early case isolation to eliminate viral spread across the community.