Clinical and diagnostic features of salivary glands disease related to COVID-19 infection: A systematic review of the literature

Purpose

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) results from primary infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Sars COV-2). The transmission thereof is based on mucosal inoculation of infected droplets or direct contact from carriers. However, coronavirus viral loads can be found in throat wash and saliva specimens. The aim of this work is to make an overview about clinical and diagnostic information of patients affected by sialadenitis related to Sars COV-2 infection.

Methods

A systematic literature review has been performed following PRISMA 2020 checklist statement. A computerized search has been carried on by an extensive set of queries on the Embase/Pubmed, Scopus and Cochrane databases, relating to articles published from January 2020 to February 2024.

Results

Information reported within ten papers has been processed in this review. The total amount of patients included was 27 (55 % females), with a mean age of 35.6 years. All patients showed a parotid gland infection, which was described bilaterally in 45 % of cases. However, submandibular and sublingual gland infections were reported only as of a single patient. Sialadenitis diagnosis was made through clinical examination, radiological tools and laboratory tests. The diagnosis of parotitis was contextual or delayed to COVID-19 detection in 78 % and 22 % of cases, respectively. The therapeutic management thereof consisted of symptomatic therapies as in Sars COV-2 infection. Antibiotics were reserved in a few cases (12 %).

Conclusions

Sialadenitis in patients affected by Sars COV-2 is an uncommon manifestation of COVID-19 infection. Its treatment and prognosis do not differ from those used to treat patients affected by Sars COV-2.