SARS

Essay by iv80University, Bachelor'sD, December 2003

download word file, 4 pages 0.0

Downloaded 91 times

1. Introduction

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, also known as SARS, is a new disease, which has its origins in Guangdong Province, China. SARS earliest cases have been identified in mid-November 2002. Since then, cases of SARS have been reported in 17 countries. The current number of cases of SARS is 2781 with 111 deaths . The global case-fatality rate for probable SARS is 4% .

As of March 21, 2003, most patients, who have been identified, have been previously healthy adults aged 25-70 years. A few suspected cases of SARS have been reported among children ? 15 years.

1.1. Case Definitions of SARS

The Centres of Disease Control and Prevention has sequenced the genome for coronavirus believed to be responsible for the global epidemic of severe respiratory syndrome or SARS. The sequence data confirm that the SARS coronavirus is a previously unrecognised coronavirus.

SARS appears to spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact involving exposure to infections droplets, and possible by direct contact with infected body fluids.

1.2. Symptoms

·The illness begins with high fever (>38º). Sometimes associated with chills and rigors and sometimes accompanied by other symptoms including headache, malaise and myalgias.

·After 3-7 days, a lower respiratory phase begins with onset of dry, non-productive cough or dyspnea and that may be accompanied by or progress to hypoxemia.

1.3. Treatments

Treatments regimes have included a variety of antibiotics to presumptively treat known bacterial agents of atypical pneumonia. In several locations, therapy has also included antiviral agents such as oseltamivir or ribavirin. Steroids have also been given orally or intravenously to patients in combinations with ribavirin and other antimicrobials. At present, the most efficacious treatment regime is unknown.

2.Locations Methods

I have used varies search engines, but for me far the best search engines at the moment is...