Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Does Not Protect against the Development of Anosmia in a Hamster Model

Abstract

Anosmia, a total or partial loss of the ability to smell, is one of the most frequently documented sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Persistent anosmia is associated with a decrease in quality of life. Here, we assess the impact of virus lineage and vaccination status on anosmia development in the golden Syrian hamster model. To characterize anosmia driven by current variants, we assessed olfactory function in hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 lineages A, BA.2, BA.5, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1 using a buried food detection test. We found that significant anosmia occurs upon infection with all variants with a significant correlation between disease severity and degree of anosmia. Moreover, we found that vaccination with either the Pfizer (BNT16b2) or Moderna (mRNA-1273) mRNA vaccines does not protect against anosmia, despite protection against severe disease.

Histopathology of the Tongue in a Hamster Model of COVID-19

“…9 Moreover, vaccination has been shown to not prevent or mitigate the onset of anosmia. 10 The sensation of taste is dependent upon multiple structures and processes. To begin, salivary glands produce saliva to dissolve tastants.…”