Sensory taste receptors and ageusia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: literature review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i8.29122

Keywords:

Ageusia; COVID-19; Teaching; Taste.

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), the largest recorded pandemic of the 21st century, is an acute respiratory infection with potential severity. Among the symptoms resulting from the disease, sensory loss, such as ageusia, represents a challenge among researchers, since the mechanisms related to viral pathophysiology against neurosensitive cells are not yet fully understood. Given this context, this study aimed to review the recent literature on loss of taste sensation and SARS-CoV-2 infection. To this end, a narrative review was carried out, searching articles from the main databases, such as PubMed, Scielo, and Google Scholar, and selecting those that had affinity with the proposed theme. Through the study, it was found that ageusia is a common symptom in patients with COVID-19, mainly due to the significant presence of cell receptors that mediate the viral infection in the oral region. Mechanisms suggested to explain this loss of sensation involve damage to the taste nerves, deficiencies in serum and salivary zinc levels, interaction with sialic acid receptors, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine storm response itself to the viral attack. This review allowed the identification of several mechanisms suggested as potential causes of ageusia in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, enabling an initial understanding regarding the topic and a direction for further studies.

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20/06/2022

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SANTOS, D. C. P.; VASCONCELOS, M. A. C. .; MOREIRA, P. H. de A.; GOMES, P. D. B. .; BAZÁN, T. A. X. N.; MORAES, F. P.; SOUSA, D. F. .; SIQUEIRA, F. S. F. de; SILVA, L. C. N. da; HOLANDA, R. A.; GALVÃO, L. C. de C. Sensory taste receptors and ageusia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: literature review. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 11, n. 8, p. e32811829122, 2022. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v11i8.29122. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/29122. Acesso em: 23 apr. 2024.

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Vol. 11 No. 8

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Health Sciences

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Copyright (c) 2022 Danyelle Cristina Pereira Santos; Marcos Altyeres Coelho Vasconcelos; Pedro Henrique de Aguiar Moreira; Paulo Dyago Borges Gomes; Tamyris Alicely Xavier Noguera Bazán; Fabiana Pereira Moraes; Davi Ferreira Sousa; Fabiana Suellen Figuerêdo de Siqueira; Luís Cláudio Nascimento da Silva; Rodrigo Assunção Holanda; Livia Camara de Carvalho Galvão

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