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And now comes SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Fact #1 What Is SARS?
SARS appears to be caused by a corona virus, so named because of the halo or crown -like appearance around particles viewed by an electron microscope. First isolated from chickens in 1937, the (15 or so?) known corona viruses infect man but also cattle, pigs, rodents, cats, dogs, and birds. Corona viruses have a singlestrand of RNA, the longest found in any RNA-type virus. Genetic sequencing has not yet provided any clues to designing a vaccine. Reinfections occur throughout life, so the prospects for effective immunization appear bleak. Opportunistic co-infections by other viruses might contribute to rapid and easy mutation of the corona virus and to a higher death rate.
marginal sanitation, rampant malnutrition, and minimal access to medical care. Detection of corona virus in the feces of kittens in the quarantined Hong Kong apartments raises the specter that domestic pets (or commercial animals) might serve as non-symptomatic hosts, creating worldwide reservoirs of SARS that might never be eliminated. Such large population reservoirs are fertile breeding grounds for mutation of bacteria and viruses, experienced commonly as the Asian flu. Corona virus infection is very common, occurs world wide, and has a seasonal prevalence in winter.
Summary
SARS creates a whole new world for all of us, not just indoor environmental quality professionals. But the rest of our world will be looking to us to assure them of clean and healthy indoor air quality. SARS, in itself, might be a short-lived event. But the prospect remains that we may just be seeing the tip of the icebe rg the tip with regard to the spread of SARS or (and more ominously)the tip with regard to a ushering in a new era, with ready development and easy spread of common infections worldwide, bringing severe complications or deadly outcomes. Whatever the scenario, we need to begin adopting perspectives that will enable us to address these challenges squarely and successfully.
SARS: The Facts; Summer 2003 issue of Air Media Author(s): John Parks Trowbridge M.D., FACAM; Skiter Kowalski, CIE, CAFS, CMR PIAQMsm, AQM Consultants