Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Corona virus or SARS-CoV-2, the cause of Covid-19 disease, usually causes a number of symptoms in the person it is infected with. Some of the symptoms common to infected people include high fever, cough, to easily tired.
In addition, there is also one other symptom that is most often found, namely loss of smell or anosmia.
Anosmia generally occurs in people who have the common cold due to nasal congestion, where there is swelling in the area. However, for people with Covid-19, the symptoms will be much worse.
According to Science Focus, the reason why loss of smell can occur in Covid-19 patients is because there is a protein on the surface of some human cells that can easily “bind” to the outer protein of the corona virus.
“These are cells found in the heart, lungs, intestines, throat, and nose.” explained the media in an article published in August.
“Proteins, a type of enzyme called ‘angiotensin converting enzyme II’ (ACE-2), have a specific form designed for their job – taking the angiotensin hormone, and converting it to angiotensin II, which is used around the body for things like regulating blood pressure. “Although the ACE-2 form is very compatible with angiotensin, it also binds to the sharp outer protein of the coronavirus.”
A team of scientists from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have conducted follow-up studies to measure how much ACE-2 protein is found in each cell type. The study was conducted by looking at tissue samples from a patient’s nose, says Science Focus.
They found that levels of protein in the olfactory epithelius, the tissue at the back of the nose used to detect odors, were “very high,” between 200 and 700 times higher than in other nasal areas.
The findings are also expected to show a potential way to treat infections directly through the nose.
“These olfactory support cells are needed to protect and maintain the delicate neurons in the nose that detect odors and signal that information to the brain,” said study author Dr Andrew P Lane.
“In general, when cells are infected with a virus, they undergo a process called pyroptosis – basically pressing the self-destruct button to thwart the virus. So, in all likelihood, olfactory support cells self-destruct, which in turn leads to the death of sensory neurons and loss of the sense of smell. “
Further studies looking at the recovery of Covid-19 patients have found these neurons return over time, although the long-term effects are still unknown.
“Some Covid-19 patients report a deviant odor (parosmia) persists for months after their sense of smell returns,” said Lane. “This long-term odor disorder with Covid-19 is unusual and requires further study.
“It is possible that this altered olfactory function may be permanent, but it is too early to know. We are optimistic that this will eventually disappear as the brain ‘re-learns’ to interpret signals from the regenerating olfactory layer.”
(res / sef)
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