eprintid: 10111408
rev_number: 19
eprint_status: archive
userid: 608
dir: disk0/10/11/14/08
datestamp: 2020-10-06 15:23:04
lastmod: 2021-09-26 23:20:17
status_changed: 2020-10-06 15:23:04
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Makaronidis, J
creators_name: Mok, J
creators_name: Balogun, N
creators_name: Magee, CG
creators_name: Omar, RZ
creators_name: Carnemolla, A
creators_name: Batterham, RL
title: Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in people with an acute loss in their sense of smell and/or taste in a community-based population in London, UK: An observational cohort study
ispublished: pub
subjects: UCH
divisions: UCL
divisions: B02
divisions: C10
divisions: D17
divisions: G94
divisions: B04
divisions: C06
divisions: F61
keywords: Smell, SARS CoV 2, COVID 19, Virus testing, Taste, Sensory perception, Antibodies, Coughing
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abstract: BACKGROUND: Loss of smell and taste are commonly reported symptoms associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in people with acute loss of smell and/or taste is unknown. The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a community-based population with acute loss of smell and/or taste and to compare the frequency of COVID-19 associated symptoms in participants with and without SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. It also evaluated whether smell or taste loss are indicative of COVID-19 infection. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Text messages, sent via primary care centers in London, United Kingdom, invited people with loss of smell and/or taste in the preceding month, to participate. Recruitment took place between 23 April 2020 and 14 May 2020. A total of 590 participants enrolled via a web-based platform and responded to questions about loss of smell and taste and other COVID-19-related symptoms. Mean age was 39.4 years (SD ± 12.0) and 69.1% (n = 392) of participants were female. A total of 567 (96.1%) had a telemedicine consultation during which their COVID-19-related symptoms were verified and a lateral flow immunoassay test that detected SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies was undertaken under medical supervision. A total of 77.6% of 567 participants with acute smell and/or taste loss had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies; of these, 39.8% (n = 175) had neither cough nor fever. New loss of smell was more prevalent in participants with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, compared with those without antibodies (93.4% versus 78.7%, p < 0.001), whereas taste loss was equally prevalent (90.2% versus 89.0%, p = 0.738). Seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 was 3 times more likely in participants with smell loss (OR 2.86; 95% CI 1.27-6.36; p < 0.001) compared with those with taste loss. The limitations of this study are the lack of a general population control group, the self-reported nature of the smell and taste changes, and the fact our methodology does not take into account the possibility that a population subset may not seroconvert to develop SARS-CoV-2 antibodies post-COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that recent loss of smell is a highly specific COVID-19 symptom and should be considered more generally in guiding case isolation, testing, and treatment of COVID-19. TRIALS REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04377815.
date: 2020-10-01
date_type: published
official_url: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003358
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1816825
doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003358
pii: PMEDICINE-D-20-02673
lyricists_name: Balogun, Nyaladzi
lyricists_name: Batterham, Rachel
lyricists_name: Carnemolla, Alisia
lyricists_name: Makaronidis, Janine
lyricists_name: Omar, Rumana
lyricists_id: NNDEB03
lyricists_id: RBATT41
lyricists_id: ACARN59
lyricists_id: JMAKA63
lyricists_id: ROMAR78
actors_name: Flynn, Bernadette
actors_id: BFFLY94
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
publication: PLOS Medicine
volume: 17
number: 10
article_number: e1003358
event_location: United States
citation:        Makaronidis, J;    Mok, J;    Balogun, N;    Magee, CG;    Omar, RZ;    Carnemolla, A;    Batterham, RL;      (2020)    Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in people with an acute loss in their sense of smell and/or taste in a community-based population in London, UK: An observational cohort study.                   PLOS Medicine , 17  (10)    , Article e1003358.  10.1371/journal.pmed.1003358 <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003358>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10111408/1/journal.pmed.1003358.pdf