Methods and kits for rapid screening for hyposmia and anosmia
AssigneeUniversity of Rochester
InventorsChristopher J STODGELL, Ronald W. WOOD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and kits for rapid and inexpensive detection of hyposmia or anosmia, diminishment or loss of the sense of smell. Sudden onset of diminishment or loss of the sense of smell is an early sign of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19; detecting the sudden onset of diminishment or loss of the sense of smell can therefore be used to rapidly screen a population for persons who should undergo diagnostic testing for a SARS-CoV-2 infection, and more generally to screen persons for olfactory disorders.
Claims18
A method for determining rapidly whether a subject has anosmia and, optionally, whether said subject has hyposmia, said method comprising:
- (a) providing said subject with a set of a closed first container and a closed second container, wherein said first container contains a first solution consisting essentially of an odorant at a first selected concentration of said odorant and a carrier and said second container contains a second solution which second solution consists essentially of said odorant at a second selected concentration of said odorant, which selected second concentration is expected to be detectable by all individuals having a normal sense of smell, and said carrier, and further wherein said first container and said second container are either (i) attached to each other, (ii) encapsulated within a common cover member permeable to odors and which is both unreactive with, and which does not comprise a material reactive with, said first solution or said second solution, or (iii) are blisters on a blister pack, and said first and said second containers do not mix when said first and said second containers are opened,
- (b) having said subject
- (i) open said closed first container, thereby releasing into ambient air around said opened container any odor from said odorant in said first solution in said opened container, and
- (ii) smell said ambient air around said opened container, allowing said subject to determine if said subject can smell said odorant in said ambient air, and
- (iii) repeat steps (b)(i) and (b)(ii) for said second container,
- wherein an inability of said subject to smell said odorant in said second container indicates said subject has anosmia.
A kit for determining rapidly whether a subject has hyposmia or anosmia, said kit consisting of:
- a first container and a second container, and,
- wherein said first container contains a first solution consisting essentially of a selected odorant at a first concentration and a selected carrier,
- and said second container contains a second solution which second solution consists essentially of said odorant at a second concentration and said selected carrier,
- further wherein
- said first container and said second container are (i) attached to each other, (ii) encapsulated within a common cover member permeable to odors and which is both unreactive with, and which does not comprise a material reactive with, said first solution or said second solution, (iii) are blisters on a blister pack or are containers contained within blisters, or are impermeable packets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.