Olfactory epithelium histopathological findings in long-term coronavirus disease 2019 related anosmia
Luigi Angelo Vaira, Claire Hopkins, Ann Sandison, Alessia Manca, Nikolaos Machouchas, D Turilli, Jérôme R. Lechien, Maria Rosaria Barillari, Giovanni Salzano, Andrea Cossu, Sven Saussez, Giacomo De Riu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Olfactory dysfunction represents one of the most frequent symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019, affecting about 70 per cent of patients. However, the pathogenesis of the olfactory dysfunction in coronavirus disease 2019 has not yet been elucidated. CASE REPORT: This report presents the radiological and histopathological findings of a patient who presented with anosmia persisting for more than three months after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. CONCLUSION: The biopsy demonstrated significant disruption of the olfactory epithelium. This shifts the focus away from invasion of the olfactory bulb and encourages further studies of treatments targeted at the surface epithelium.