Sore throat and covid

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Sore Throat and COVID-19: Clinical Insights and Trends

Common Symptoms of COVID-19: Fever, Cough, and Sore Throat

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, presents a range of symptoms, with fever and cough being the most prevalent. However, sore throat is also a notable symptom, though less common compared to fever and cough. Studies have shown that sore throat occurs in a smaller percentage of COVID-19 patients, with some reports indicating a prevalence of around 12% Lovato2020Jacek2021El-Anwar2020. This symptom is more frequently observed in younger patients and can appear early in the disease course, sometimes even before molecular confirmation of the virus .

Sore Throat in Different Populations and Variants

The prevalence of sore throat in COVID-19 patients varies by region and has been influenced by the emergence of new viral variants. Initial data indicated a prevalence of 29% in Asia and 7% in North America. However, with the spread of variants such as Alpha and Delta, the prevalence has increased to approximately 50% in some regions . This increase suggests that newer variants are more frequently associated with otolaryngologic symptoms, including sore throat.

Comparison with Other Respiratory Infections

When comparing COVID-19 to other respiratory infections like influenza and the common cold, sore throat is less commonly reported in COVID-19 cases. For instance, sore throat is observed in 12% of COVID-19 cases compared to 84% in influenza and the common cold . This distinction is crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between these illnesses, especially during the cold and flu season.

Pediatric Considerations

In children, COVID-19 presents a heterogeneous clinical picture. Sore throat is one of the common symptoms, though it is less frequently associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) . Children with COVID-19 and MIS-C are more likely to exhibit inflammatory and gastrointestinal symptoms rather than respiratory symptoms like sore throat.

Diagnostic and Management Implications

The presence of sore throat, along with other symptoms such as fever, cough, and fatigue, can aid in the early diagnosis of COVID-19. Real-time PCR testing using nasal swabs remains the gold standard for diagnosis Pascarella2020Kevadiya2021. Recognizing sore throat as a potential early sign of COVID-19, especially with the prevalence of new variants, can help direct patients to appropriate testing and early intervention .

Conclusion

Sore throat, while not the most common symptom of COVID-19, is significant and has shown varying prevalence with the emergence of new viral variants. Understanding its occurrence in different populations and its comparison with other respiratory infections can aid in better diagnosis and management of COVID-19. As the pandemic evolves, continuous monitoring of symptom trends, including sore throat, is essential for effective public health responses.

Sources and full results

Most relevant research papers on this topic

Sore throat in COVID‐19: Comment on “Clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: A single arm meta‐analysis”

COVID-19 patients often experience fever, cough, muscle soreness, and fatigue, but rarely experience diarrhea, hemoptysis, headache, sore throat, shock, and other rare symptoms.

Meta-Analysis

2020·

36citations

·A. Lovato et al.

Journal of Medical Virology·

DOI

COVID‐19 diagnosis and management: a comprehensive review

Quarantine is the only effective intervention for decreasing COVID-19 contagion, while antiviral drugs, chloroquine, and respiratory therapy are used for treatment.

Systematic ReviewHighly Cited

2020·

1177citations

·G. Pascarella et al.

Journal of Internal Medicine·

DOI

Diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 Infections

This Review highlights the progress in developing diagnostic tools for SARS-CoV-2, including nanomaterial-based tools, to aid in rapid detection and aid in the fight against COVID-19.

Rigorous JournalHighly Cited

2021·

720citations

·Bhavesh D. Kevadiya et al.

Nature materials·

DOI

A Systematic Review of Characteristics Associated with COVID-19 in Children with Typical Presentation and with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome

Children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) are less likely to exhibit sore throat and respiratory symptoms, but have a greater number of inflammatory and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Systematic ReviewRigorous Journal

2021·

18citations

·Jeffrey Kornitzer et al.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·

DOI

Comparison of the clinical differences between COVID-19, SARS, influenza, and the common cold: A systematic literature review.

A greater number of general symptoms should lead to a diagnosis of influenza or common cold rather than COVID-19.

Systematic Review

2021·

51citations

·C. Jacek et al.

Advances in clinical and experimental medicine : official organ Wroclaw Medical University·

DOI

COVID-19 in otolaryngologist practice: a review of current knowledge

COVID-19 symptoms in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) patients may precede severe COVID-19, and otolaryngologists should consider these patients as potential cases and wear protective gear during examinations.

Systematic ReviewVery Rigorous JournalHighly Cited

2020·

173citations

·J. Krajewska et al.

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology·

DOI

Emerging treatment strategies for COVID-19 infection

COVID-19 treatment strategies include supportive care measures, supportive care measures, and randomized clinical trials to identify the most effective antiviral treatment.

Literature ReviewHighly Cited

2020·

270citations

·M. Gavriatopoulou et al.

Clinical and Experimental Medicine·

DOI

ENT manifestation in COVID-19 patients

Abstract Objective to detect, analyze and discuss the different ear nose throat (ENT) manifestations those were reported in COVID19 positive patients in the reviewed and published literatures. Methods We performed a search in the PubMed databases, Web of Science, LILACS, MEDLINE, SciELO, and Cochrane Library using the keywords; COVID-19, Novel coronavirus, corona, 2019-nCoV, SARS-CoV-2, ENT, ear, nose, throat, otorhinolaryngology, ORL, pharynx, ORL, smell, larynx, different ENT related symptoms. We reviewed published and peer reviewed studies that reported the ENT manifestations in COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed positive patients. Results within the included 1773 COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed positive patients, the most common ENT manifestations of COVID-19 were sore throat (11.3%) and headache (10.7%). While the other reported ENT manifestations were pharyngeal erythema (5.3%), nasal congestion (4.1%), runny nose or rhinorrhea (2.1%), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (1.9%), and tonsil enlargement (1.3%). Conclusion ENT manifestations for COVID-19 are not common as fever and cough. But, a universal questionnaire using well-defined COVID-19 manifestations is needed to make the COVID-19 data precisely defined, complete and homogenous.

Systematic ReviewHighly Cited

2020·

111citations

·M. El-Anwar et al.

Auris, Nasus, Larynx·

DOI

Clinical characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 reactivation

Summary Objectives Previous studies on the pneumonia outbreak caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were based on information from the general population. However, limited data was available for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reactivation. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 reactivation. Methods Clinical records, laboratory results, and chest CT scans were retrospectively reviewed for 55 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia (i.e., with throat swab samples that were positive for SARS-CoV-2) who were admitted to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China, from Jan. 8 to Feb. 10, 2020. Results All 55 patients had a history of epidemiological exposure to COVID-19, and 5 (9%) patients who discharged from hospital presented with SARS-CoV-2 reactivation. Among the 5 reactivated patients, other symptoms were also observed, including fever, cough, sore throat, and fatigue. One of the 5 patients had progressive lymphopenia (from 1.3 to 0.56 × 109 cells per L) and progressive neutrophilia (from 4.5 to 18.28 × 109 cells per L). All 5 reactivated patients presented normal aminotransferase levels. Throat swab samples from the 5 reactivated patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2, indicating all positive for the virus. Conclusions Findings from this small group of cases suggested that there was currently evidence for reactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and there might be no specific clinical characteristics to distinguish them.

Highly Cited

2020·

323citations

·Guangming Ye et al.

The Journal of Infection·

DOI

Sore Throat, an Early Sign in Covid-19? Prevalence and Changing Trends with New Viral Variants

The prevalence of sore throat in COVID-19 patients has increased to approximately 50%, with new strains like Alpha and Delta increasing the likelihood of otolaryngologic symptoms.

Literature Review

2021·

0citations

·G. Coutinho

International Journal of Clinical Studies and Medical Case Reports·

DOI

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