Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) - An emerging infection of the 21st century
Journal
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Journal Volume
102
Journal Issue
12
Pages
825-839
Date Issued
2003
Author(s)
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infection caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV. The disease has a high propensity to spread to household members and healthcare workers and may be associated with transmission and outbreaks in the community. Severe illness in immunocompromised patients, sophiscated hospital facilities and treatment procedures, particularly those that gene generate aerosols, and lack of adequate isolation and control measures, can amplify transmission and contribute to so-called "super-spreading" events. The presence of non-specific clinical manifestations at presentation and a lack of validated early diagnostic methods and effective management pose great difficulty for frontline physicians in the containment of this disease. The mortality of SARS is in the region of 10 to 15%; the presence of underlying disease, high initial C-reactive protein levels, and positive SARS-CoV in nasopharyngeal aspirate samples are associated with a higher risk of respiratory failure and mortality. Despite the disapprearance of SARS cases worldwide; the potential evolution of SARS-CoV in animals suggests the disease may re-emerge in the future. Heightened levels of clinical suspicion, rapid case detection and isolation, and contact tracing are essential to effective management of future outbreaks. Further ongoing requirements for successful management include research on the immunopathogenesis of SARS and the development of timely and reliable diagnostic tests, effective antiviral and immunomodulatory agents, and vaccines for the disease.
SDGs
Other Subjects
antivirus agent; azauridine; beta lactam antibiotic; C reactive protein; corticosteroid; gamma interferon; glycyrrhizic acid; immunoglobulin G; immunomodulating agent; l 700417; lopinavir plus ritonavir; macrolide; methylprednisolone; mycophenolic acid; pirazofurin; proteinase inhibitor; quinoline derived antiinfective agent; ribavirin; virus antibody; virus vaccine; aerosol; blood analysis; child care; Chlamydophila pneumoniae; clinical feature; computer assisted tomography; coughing; diagnostic test; disease course; disease severity; disease transmission; drug potentiation; dyspnea; early diagnosis; epidemic; fever; health care facility; health care personnel; histopathology; household; human; hypoxia; immune deficiency; immunopathogenesis; infection control; Legionella pneumophila; medical research; mortality; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; nonhuman; nose smear; nucleotide sequence; pathogenesis; patient care; physician; pneumonia; polymerase chain reaction; reliability; respiratory distress; respiratory failure; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; review; risk assessment; SARS coronavirus; severe acute respiratory syndrome; symptom; thorax radiography; throat culture; virus transmission; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Humans; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; Taiwan
Type
review