Regeneration Profiles of Olfactory Epithelium after SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Golden Syrian Hamsters
Shinji Urata, Junki Maruyama, Megumi Kishimoto‐Urata, Rachel A. Sattler, Rebecca S. Cook, Nantian Lin, Tatsuya Yamasoba, Tomoko Makishima, Slobodan Paessler
Abstract
Olfactory dysfunction is one of the most frequent and specific symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Information on the damage and repair of the neuroepithelium and its impact on olfactory function after COVID-19 is still incomplete. While severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the ongoing worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, little is known about the changes triggered by SARS-CoV-2 in the olfactory epithelium (OE) at the cellular level. Here, we report profiles of the OE after SARS-CoV-2 infection in golden Syrian hamsters, which is a reliable animal model of COVID-19. We observed severe damage in the OE as early as 3 days postinoculation and regionally specific damage and regeneration of the OE within the nasal cavity; the nasal septal region demonstrated the fastest recovery compared to other regions in the nasal turbinates. These findings suggest that anosmia related to SARS-CoV-2 infection may be fully reversible.