Should you worry about SARS?

The symptoms of SARS
The incubation period for SARS is typically two to seven days; however, isolated reports have suggested an incubation period as long as 10 days.

The illness usually begins with a fever (measured temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F or 38.0 degrees C). The fever is sometimes associated with chills or other symptoms, including headache, general feeling of discomfort and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset.

After two to seven days, SARS patients may develop a dry, nonproductive cough and have trouble breathing. In 10 percent to 20 percent of cases, patients will require mechanical ventilation.

How SARS spreads
The primary way that SARS appears to spread is through close person-to-person contact. Most cases of SARS have involved people who cared for or lived with someone with SARS, or had direct contact with infectious material (for example, respiratory secretions) from a person who has SARS. Potential ways in which SARS can be spread include touching the skin of other people or objects that are contaminated with infectious droplets and then touching your eye(s), nose or mouth. This can happen when someone who is sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets onto themselves, other people or nearby surfaces. In general, viruses such as coronaviruses do not last a long time in the environment. It is uncertain how long the newly discovered coronavirus associated with SARS can survive in the environment. In one preliminary study, researchers in Hong Kong found that both dried and liquid samples of the new coronavirus survived as long as 24 hours in the environment. Additional studies are under way to examine this important question. It also is possible that SARS can be spread more broadly through the air or in other ways that are currently not known.

What if I think I have SARS?
People with symptoms of SARS (fever greater than 100.4 degrees F or 38.0 degrees C accompanied by a cough and/or difficulty breathing) should consult a health-care provider. Call ahead of time to alert your provider or hospital so they can be ready for you. To help the health-care provider make a diagnosis, tell them about any recent travel to places where SARS has been reported or whether there was contact with someone who had these symptoms.

No test is available yet for SARS. However, the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control, in collaboration with WHO and other laboratories, has developed two research tests that appear to be very effective in detecting antibodies to the new coronavirus. The CDC is working to refine and share this testing capability as soon as possible with laboratories across the United States and internationally.

How is SARS treated?
At present, the most effective treatment regimen is unknown. The CDC currently recommends that patients with SARS receive the same treatment that would be used for any patient with serious community-acquired atypical pneumonia of unknown cause. In several locations, therapy has included antivirals such as oseltamivir or ribavirin. Steroids have also been given orally or intravenously to patients, in combination with ribavirin and other antimicrobials.

Source: The World Health Organisation and the Centers for Disease Control