Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was reported by the World Health Organization in 2019. Loss of taste and smell has been identified as the key COVID-19 predictors. The aim of the present study is to evaluate prevalence of taste changes among Covid-19 patients and compare its association with immunosuppressive therapy, hospitalization and presence of co-morbidities.
Material methods: In this cross-sectional study (questionnaire based) a total of 202 patients from the Vidarbha region who were infected with COVID-19 were given a pre-validated questionnaire. The questionnaire included brief history about various symptoms, taste changes during COVID-19 infection, immunosuppressive therapy, hospitalization, presence of co-morbidities etc.
Result: It was found that 69.3% of patients experienced taste changes during Covid-19 infection and in 33.5% of patients’ loss of taste was the first symptom. There was a weak positive co-relation between taste changes, immunosuppressive therapy, hospitalization and presence of co-morbidities in COVID-19 patients.
Conclusion: Taste changes were common among COVID-19 affected patients. Immunosuppressive therapy, hospitalization and presence of co-morbidities do not seem to be linked with the taste changes of Covid-19 infection.

Keywords:Altered taste; Ageusia; COVID-19