Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a new viral respiratory illness first identified in humans in early 2003, after first appearing in southern China in November 2002.
SARS is caused by an infection with the SARS virus. The SARS virus is a previously unrecognized coronavirus called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV).
The virus is spread through close contact with an infected person. It can be passed either through the air or by touching a contaminated surface.
The time between exposure to the virus and the onset of SARS symptoms is called the incubation period. The incubation period for SARS is typically two to seven days, although in some cases, it may be as long as 10 days. In a very small proportion of cases, incubation periods of up to 14 days have been reported.
Symptoms usually begin with a high fever, measured by a temperature greater than 100.4°F (38.0°C). Other early symptoms may include:
- Headache
- An overall feeling of discomfort
- Body aches
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Diarrhea.
After two to seven days, other symptoms may occur, including:
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Low oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxia)
- Pneumonia.
In 10 percent to 20 percent of cases, patients require breathing support with mechanical ventilation.
In order to make a diagnosis, your doctor will ask a number of questions, perform a physical exam, and recommend certain tests. As part of diagnosing this condition, the doctor will also rule out other causes of possible symptoms.
If your healthcare provider determines that you are at high risk, he or she will recommend certain lab tests, including:
- PCR Test
- Serologic testing
- Viral Culture.
(Click Diagnosing SARS for more information.)
Treatment Options for SARS
Once a person has become infected, there is only one cure -- time. There is currently no treatment that can kill the virus. Therefore, treatment is focused on providing relief of symptoms and complications as the body fights the virus.
Most SARS cases require hospitalization for intensive supportive care. This supportive care can include:
- Intravenous (IV) fluids
- Medications, including antibiotics, steroids, and/or antivirals
- Breathing support from a ventilator
- Prevention of secondary infections
- Good nursing care.
(Click SARS Treatment for more information.)
SARS is a potentially life-threatening infection, with an average death rate of 11 percent for the most severely affected areas. SARS is also associated with a number of serious complications, such as pneumonia. However, one third of people infected with the SARS virus have only mild symptoms.
Doctors can seldom predict why one person will develop serious symptoms and another will not. However, they do know that certain factors increase a person's chance of developing serious symptoms. People at risk for more serious SARS symptoms include:
- People over the age of 65
- People with other medical problems.
SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003, after first appearing in southern China in November 2002. Over the next few months, SARS spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 8,098 people worldwide became sick with SARS during the 2003 outbreak. Of these, 774 died. Of the 774 deaths attributed to SARS, more than 50 percent occurred in people 65 years of age or older. Susceptibility decreased significantly with age, with children the least likely to acquire the disease.
In the United States, only eight people had laboratory evidence of a SARS virus infection, with no deaths. All of these people had traveled to other parts of the world with SARS. SARS did not spread more widely in the community in the United States.
The prompt recognition that SARS is caused by a new type of coronavirus is a tribute to the dedication of and collaboration by the world's medical researchers and public health experts. Much more research is needed, however, to develop ways to identify, treat, and prevent this deadly illness.
