After many coronavirus patients reported a temporary loss of smell, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Edith Wolfson Medical Center have developed an online platform enabling self-monitoring of an individual’s sense of smell to detect early signs of infection.
According to a study published by researchers at King’s College London this past week, 59% of diagnosed coronavirus patients reported loss of smell and taste.
The SmellTracker platform is based on an algorithm developed by the laboratory of Prof. Noam Sobel at the Weizmann Institute’s Department of Neurobiology, which specializes in olfactory research. The researchers have developed a mathematical model to accurately characterize an individual’s unique sense of smell, or “olfactory fingerprint.”
Based on the algorithm, the online SmellTracker scent test guides users on how to map their sense of smell using five common scents found in every home - including spices, vinegar, toothpaste, scent extracts and peanut butter. The five-minute test is able to identify sudden changes in odor perception that could indicate the onset of COVID-19.
The researchers say they have already identified potential coronavirus cases with the tool, which were later confirmed. As more data is collected, researchers believe there is a greater likelihood of characterizing a “unique olfactory fingerprint for the early detection” of cases.
While loss of smell was not a commonly reported symptom in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic originated, preliminary studies in several countries have shown that the symptom appears in approximately 60% of patients.
With scientists estimating that there are eight active strains of the coronavirus, Sobel’s laboratory believes that olfactory loss could be a differentiating symptom of the different strains. Accordingly, the SmellTracker may be able to map the geographical spread of the various outbreaks.
The laboratory is also distributing “scratch and smell” kits to confirmed coronavirus patients, accompanied by a unique questionnaire, as researchers seek to map their sense of smell.
Launched with backing from the Defense Ministry, the project will be promoted in Sweden, France and other countries in the coming days. The online test is currently available in English, Hebrew and Arabic, and will soon be available in Swedish, French, Japanese, Spanish, German and Persian.