Are olfactory and taste disorders a symptom of neuro-tropism SARS-COV-2 VIRUS?

Abstract

In November 2019, the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection causing COVID-19 occurred in Wuhan. The epidemic developed rapidly, spreading across the globe. On 11.03.2020 WHO recognized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The course of COVID-19 is varied. It can take the form of asymptomatic infection to a set of symptoms leading to severe respiratory failure and, ultimately, death. The most common symptoms are cough, fever, muscle aches and pains, shortness of breath. More and more often attention was paid to the occurrence of olfactory and taste disorders in the course of infection, which over time became a symptom typical of COVID-19. Potential causes of olfactory and taste disorders are: receptor cell damage, inflammatory concept, microvascular damage, CNS inflammation, and stroke conception. The hypothesis of SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism and the relationship between the occurrence of the above symptoms and the ACE2 receptor to which SARS-CoV -2 has an affinity is also important. It is worth emphasizing, however, that the above issue is not fully understood and requires further research.