Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39849469›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2025

Histopathology of the tongue in a hamster model of COVID-19.

John Coggins, Marina Hosotani Saito, Rebecca Cook, Shinji Urata, Megumi Urata, Nantian Lin Harsell, Wilhelmina Nanrui Tan, Bibiana Toro Figueira, Megan Bradley, Nadia Z Quadri and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

John CogginsDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA.
Marina Hosotani SaitoDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA.
Rebecca CookDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA.
Shinji UrataDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA.
Megumi UrataDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA.
Nantian Lin HarsellSchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Wilhelmina Nanrui TanSchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Bibiana Toro FigueiraSchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Megan BradleySchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Nadia Z QuadriSchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Janisah Amirah I SaripadaSchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Rachel A ReynaDepartment of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Junki MaruyamaDepartment of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Slobodan PaesslerDepartment of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Tomoko MakishimaDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA. tomakish@utmb.edu.

Funding

UTMB Clinical and Translational Science AwardTL1TR001440 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI HOMMEL, JONATHAN DEAN · 2015 to 2024
$3.4M
NCATS NIH HHS TL1 TR001440NIH HHS TL1TR001440
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWith altered sense of taste being a common symptom of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the main objective was to investigate the presence and distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) within the tongue over the course of infection.

methodsGolden Syrian hamsters were inoculated intranasally with SARS-CoV-2 and tongues were collected at 2, 3, 5, 8, 17, 21, 35, and 42 days post-infection (dpi) for analysis. In order to test for gross changes in the tongue, the papillae of the tongue were counted. Paraffin-embedded thin sections of the tongues were labeled for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen.

resultsThere was no difference in fungiform or filiform papillae density throughout the course of infection. SARS-CoV-2 antigen was observed in the vallate papillae taste buds (3-35 dpi) and autonomic ganglia (5-35 dpi), as well as in the serous and mucous salivary glands of the posterior tongue (2-42 dpi).

conclusionThe presence and distribution of SARS-CoV-2 suggest that the virus could cause taste disturbance by infecting the vallate papillae taste buds. This effect could be exacerbated by a diminished secretion of saliva caused by infection of the serous salivary glands and the autonomic ganglia which innervate them.

Indexed as

COVID-19TongueAnimalsAntigens, ViralCricetinaeDisease Models, AnimalMaleMesocricetusSARS-CoV-2Taste BudsAntigens, ViralDysgeusiaSARS-CoV-2Vallate papillae

Identifiers

PMID39849469
PMCPMC11755867

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.