Filenews 3 April 2021
In the list of signs of the body that COVID-19 may affect, new research adds oral cells as a part that the new coronavirus uses to invade and infect the body.
Previous studies have shown that coronavirus infects the upper respiratory tract and lungs, digestive tract, blood vessels and kidneys, which may explain the wide variety of symptoms experienced by patients suffering from COVID-19.
Symptoms include loss of taste, dry mouth and blisters in the mouth. In addition to explaining these symptoms, the new findings suggest that the mouth plays an important role in the dispersion of the coronavirus in the lungs or digestive system through saliva, which contains the virus that has infected the cells of the mouth.
"When a person swallows the contaminated saliva or inhales the tiny particles, we believe it can further transfer SARS-CoV-2 to the larynx, lungs, and even the gut," says study author Dr . Kevin Byrd, a researcher at the American Association of Dentistry and assistant professor at the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina.
Scientists already knew that saliva in COVID-19 patients may contain high levels of the new coronavirus, which is why it is considered that the saliva test is almost as reliable as nasal for the diagnosis of COVID-19.
Most knowledge about coronavirus infection in the mouth, however, may lead to new ways to limit the transmission of the virus both inside and outside the body, according to the study published in Nature Medicine.
Until the publication of this study, it was not clear where SARS-CoV-2 came from in saliva. Thus, the researchers analysed oral tissue from patients who had been killed due to COVID-19, as well as from a few dozen volunteers with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19.
"By revealing a potentially overlooked role of the oral cavity in SARS-CoV-2 infection, our study could open up new research avenues that will lead to a better understanding of the progression of infection and disease. Such information could finally update interventions to fight the virus and relieve the mouth symptoms of COVID-19," the scientists conclude.
It is noted that this is a small study, so further research is needed in a larger sample of patients to confirm the findings and highlight exactly how the mouth is involved in the infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 inside and outside the body.
Source: ygeiamou.gr
