Background
SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to infect salivary glands, and post-infectious inflammatory repair may contribute to salivary hyposecretion.
Objective
To evaluate the recurrence rate of acute salivary gland infections in post–COVID-19 patients using clinical, radiological, and microbiological parameters.
Methods
A prospective case–control study was conducted at the Otolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, from June to December 2023. Sixty patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: Group A included 30 post–COVID-19 patients, and Group B comprised 30 age- and gender-matched individuals without prior COVID-19 infection. After excluding patients lost to follow-up, 26 patients remained in Group A (mean age: 40.13 ± 13.48 years) and 27 in Group B (mean age: 40.50 ± 13.01 years).
Results
No statistically significant differences were observed between groups regarding microbial variability (p = 0.679), recurrence rates of salivary gland infections (p = 0.075), or disease-free intervals (p = 0.063).
Conclusions
Post–COVID-19 status was not associated with increased recurrence of acute salivary gland infections, and the microbial profile remained consistent with typical acute presentations. Further research is warranted to explore the potential link between SARS-CoV-2 and chronic sialadenitis.
Trail Registry
Study protocol registered at clinicaltrial.gov Identifier: NCT05890547. |
