Focused Review: Potential Rare and Atypical Symptoms as Indicator for Targeted COVID-19 Screening

Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Feb 23;57(2):189. doi: 10.3390/medicina57020189.

Abstract

The global pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 is a known consequence of infection of severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has affected nations worldwide with soaring number of cases daily. Symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are commonly presented in COVID-19 patients. This focused review aims to discuss these uncommon and atypical COVID-19 symptoms that may be presented which might affect neurological, cardiovascular, cutaneous and ocular systems and their possible mode of actions. Nonetheless, there are some cases of reported uncommon or atypical symptoms which may warrant healthcare professionals to be aware of, especially when in contact with patients. The knowledge and information concerning these symptoms might be able to provide additional cues for healthcare professional by subjecting patients to COVID-19 screening. Meanwhile, it might be able to further enhance the alertness and additional precautions being taken by healthcare personnel, which eventually lead to reduced risk of infections.

Keywords: COVID-19; detection; infection; screening; symptoms.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 Testing / methods*
  • Humans
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Symptom Assessment / methods*