The Scoop On Sars And Other Info

Several years ago, a major health problem occurred in China, Vietnam, Singapore and several other countries. This health problem was a major pandemic called SARS which stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome. The reasons for the overwhelming concern was that SARS killed as many as 15% of the people who contracted it.

Likely caused by a virus within the corona virus family, SARS is a motley collection of various symptoms that could turn into pneumonia. Primary symptoms that occur are similar to the flu with fever, muscle pain, fatigue, sore throat, coughing, gastrointestinal issues and even shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Each person who contracts SARS will have slightly different symptoms but one thing is always the same – a fever of at least 100.5 °F.

Ways that SARS is Spread

For those people who contract SARS, symptoms usually start showing up anywhere between 2 to 10 days after initial exposure. Close person-to-person contact is the main way that SARS is spread. Much like a cold, a person has to become exposed to the infected droplets that are produced during a cough or sneeze. Most people within a few feet of an infected person is exposed to the droplets in the air and will likely breathe them in.

These infected droplets often find their way to the vulnerable mucus membranes within the nose, mouth and even eyes. In addition, the virus can live indefinitely on surfaces, so you could also get SARS from touching an infected item and then touching some part of your face. Close contact in terms of infection control means anyone you live with or look after in a caregiver capacity. In addition, close contact applies to public situations where you might be within two or three feet of an infected person like on a bus, airplane or even standing in line at the post office.

Diagnosing SARS

There are not quick tests that can be conducted to determine SARS unfortunately. However there are some diagnostic testing that can be done but they all have some type of drawback. For instance, the “enzyme linked immunosorbent assay” exam can detect antibodies to SARS, but it is only hugely successful about 20 or more days after the symptoms started.

An “immunofluorescense assay” is another test which can detect SARS antibodies about 10 days after symptoms occur but the test is quite difficult, time intensive and require a special microscope and technician who can operate it. The PCR test (polymerase chain reaction) can find genetic material of SARS in a variety of samples such as stool, sputum, blood and even tissue samples. While the PCR test is not 100% indicative of SARS, it is used often.

Treating SARS

Because SARS is viral, antibiotics cannot be used and would be ineffective. The primary treatment has been extra oxygen for those patients who have hard time breathing, a ventilator as needed and even medications to bring a fever down. There has been some luck with a combination of steroids and interferon, an anti-viral drug used for other conditions like hepatitis.

For the most part, doctors and hospital staff can only treat the symptoms and practice proper infection control which includes hand washing and full protective gear complete with a full facial mask. A negative pressure room is required when housing SARS patients in a hospital. The negative pressure sucks air into the room every time the door opens which prevents germs from escaping.

For now, the SARS scare has died down and there is no pandemic. However, doctors and researchers have been actively working in the problem and have even developed a potential vaccine for it. The bottom line is that you should always practice safety precautions when traveling to avoid infection.

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