Goblet cells, which are found scattered among epithelia in the respiratory and intestinal tract, are viral targets, since they express ACE2. These mucin-producing cells are also in the respiratory epithelium of the nose. The breakdown of the mucin barrier by the action of the virus on the goblet cells could also contribute to the anosmia/hyposmia, since the odorant molecules may probably stick to their receptors with the help of the mucus.
Mucus reduction could also cause strange sensations in the nasal cavity, in which case virus-induced this could also herald COVID-19 earlier than other symptoms.
The current study sought to determine if these changes were possibly linked to other symptoms that could explain them. The researchers explored nasal symptoms in a group of 35 patients, including only those which could possibly cause marked disruptions in olfactory function. They validated their observations with a control group of similar age and sex composition.
They found that almost 70% of the patient group said they had one or more nasal symptoms, including “a strange sensation in the nose,” almost 37 times more often than the control group.
Over 60% said they felt an abnormal dryness of the nose versus around 15% of controls. Additionally, over half of the patient group said they felt as if a strong nasal wash had been administered, while only one member of the control group reported this sensation, making the patient group risk 32-fold higher for this symptom.
