Here is a list of some very uncommon, but telltale, odors (mostly from Mace, Goodman, Centerwall, et al.: The child with an unusual odor. Clinical Pediatrics 15:57-62, 1976). Re-published by Alan Greene MD FAAP
- Acetone—diabetes or acetone, alcohol, phenol, or salicylate ingestion
- Ammonia—some types of urinary tract infections, or kidney failure
- Bitter almonds—cyanide poisoning
- Cat’s urine—odor of cats syndrome (beta-methyl-crotonyl-CoA-carboxylase deficiency)
- Celery—Oasthouse urine disease
- Dead fish—stale fish syndrome (trimethylamine oxidase deficiency)
- Fresh-baked bread—typhoid fever
- Foul—tonsillitis, sinusitis, gingivitis, lung abscess, or dental cavities
- Garlic—arsenic, phosphorus, organic phosphate insecticides, or thallium poisoning
- Horse-like (also described as mouse-like or musty)—phenylketonuria
- Rancid butter—odor of rancid butter syndrome (hypermethionemia and hypertyrosinemia)
- Raw liver—liver failure
- Sweaty socks—odor of sweaty feet syndrome (Isovalryl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency)
- Sweaty socks—odor of sweaty feet syndrome II (Green acyldehydrogenase deficiency)
- Violets—turpentine poisoning