Hypogeusia,Dysgeusia,Hyposmia,and Dysosmia following Influenza-Like Infection

Abstract

Hypogeusia, with or without dysgeusia, and hyposmia, with or without dysosmia, followed an influenzal-like infection in 87 of 143 consecutive patients who presented at the Taste and Smell Clinic at the NIH with taste and smell abnormalities. Findings in this disease included pale nasal mucous membranes with marked patency of the nasal airway, a positive Rudolph sign, elevated detection and recognition thresholds for several tastants and odorants, disruption of the pore region of the taste bud observed on electron microscopy and infiltration of the upper lamina propria of the nasal mucous membrane with chronic inflammatory cells observed on light microscopy. These findings, taken together, are relatively specific for the diagnosis of this surprisingly common disorder.