Pune: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Research and Education (IISER) are working on identifying the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to impede the spread of the virus further. IISER, Pune has joined hands with BJ Medical College to conduct the study.
OLFACTORY IMPAIRMENT
While talking to Sakal Times, researcher Abraham Nixon said, “We have created a questionnaire to identify the COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic yet carrying the virus. Apart from the commonly identified symptoms of fever, tiredness, dry cough and chest congestion, COVID-19 has shown olfactory impairment in few cases found across the globe.
“The scientific community world over has been actively discussing anosmia (loss of olfaction) and ageusia (loss of taste) to evaluate if they can be classified as early symptoms, as reports from Italy, Iran, UK and China have shown a high correlation between the prevalence of COVID-19 and olfactory impairment”, he said.
“At IISER we have a specialised laboratory in olfaction. Our goal is to collect the data on our smell detection abilities by doing a very simple test that can be performed using commonly available odorous substances like citrus fruits, vegetables or spices”, he added.
QUESTIONNAIRE
We have made a questionnaire which will help us to identify the asymptomatic patients. The questionnaire is divided into six broad sections which include, fruits (citrus and non-citrus) flowers, spices, vegetables among others”, he said.
We have received permission from the ethics committee of BJ medical and IISER, Pune. So far we have collected samples of 40 people, but before conducting the analysis we need to at least have a few hundred samples”, he informed.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
The questionnaire has been sent to various stakeholders; it has been twitted, put on Facebook and other social media platforms. This questionnaire needs to be filled by the general people, patients and patients who have recovered from this virus”, he said.
We do not claim that it is the 100 per cent sure way, but it will surely help in identifying the asymptomatic patients. After all, prevention is better than cure”, he said. You can fill the questionnaire by clicking here.
