CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - A global scientific study is being conducted to assess the possible relationship between respiratory illness and their effects on smell and taste.

Some University of Illinois professors are helping with this research. It's called the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research. Dr. Yanina Pepino is a professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition with the U of I and says the group includes experts from 38 countries. 

"We're trying to understand whether there is an association between COVID-19 smell dysfunction and taste dysfunction," she says.

She says they want to understand if the loss of smell itself can be used to test for COVID-19. Often times, people lose this with other illnesses.

"we may think that it's only typical. like having a cold or flu. Many times you lose your sense of smell. Many times people also say they lost their sense of taste because their food is very bland. It's not necessarily that you lost your sense of taste, but your sense of smell. You're not able to process those aromas," she says.

However, this is not only for COVID-19 patients, but she also says this applies to anyone with respiratory problems.

"I ask people to contribute to science to help us understand how true it is. 50 to 80 percent of people in Iran and Europe are reporting that sense of smell and taste. If you have these symptoms, then please check with your doctor and see if you may be a carrier of COVID-19," she says.

She says the survey is in numerous languages so people can take it all across the globe.

To learn more about the efforts visit https://gccgemosensr.org/