SARS

Severe
Acute
Respiratory
Syndrome
 SARS-CoV

 SARS is caused by the etiological agent-

SARS-CoV.

 Coronaviruses cause enteric or respiratory

tract infections.
Viral infection of host cells

 The word corona in corona virus

literally means crown. If you look at
the spikes jutting out from the viral
cell, you can see that their structure
resembles that of a crown.
 The first stage of the SARS virus

infection happens when the S-

glycoprotein spikes attach to a
receptor enzyme on the host cell
surface called angiotensin-enzyme 2
(ACE-2).
 The host cell allows the virus to

come inside the cell and inject its RNA

into the cytoplasm of the cell where it
is then replicated, reassembled and
then released.
 Spreading the SARS virus

SARS chain of infection:

Causative agent→ susceptible animal→ human→ human

Once a person is infected with SARS it usually takes between

2-7 days for symptoms to appear.(incubation period)
 Signs and Symptoms

 A high fever above 100.4 degrees  A general feeling of malaise

ferenheight.

 Cough

 Sore throat

 Head and body aches

 The only symptom that is common in
 Lethargy all patients is a high fever

 GI discomfort
Most patients develop pnemonia.
 Typical chest x-ray of a SARS patient

•Fig.18 shows a chest scan of a patient

who has had SARS for 3 days. You can
see by the last slide, Fig. 25(day 14) that
there is a great deal of opacity
increasing.
•This ground-glass opacity is indicitive

of scarring in the lung tissues and/or

inflammation.
•The shading depicted in these scans is

most likely from inflammation from

http://www.cmj.org/paper_journal/03/11/01/F031101_18.htm resperatory distress.
Guangzhou Providence
The beginning of SARS
The SARS
epidemic
began in the
Guangzhou
Province of
Hong Kong
in November
of 2002.

PCR (Polymerase chain
reaction) test.
– Detects genetic material
of the virus in blood, stool,
and tissue samples.
This test is not very
sensitive.
own drawbacks.
Diagnosing SARS, but each has Its
There are 3 tests available for
Immunofluorescence
assay. ELISA (enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay)
– Can detect antibodies 10
days after the onset of the test.
disease but it requires a – Test detects antibodies
lot of time using an to SARS but only 21 days
immunoflourescent after symptoms have
microscope and and started.
experienced operator.
Diagnosis of SARS
Implementation of public
health measures

Public
service
announcements.

Mandatory home
quarantine.

Province wide case

repoirting.

Free hospitalization
for all people with
SARS.
  Wash your hands!!

 Avoid touching mouth, nose or eyes

with unwashed hands.

 Remain alert for symptoms if you

have been in close contact with
Stopping someone who has been infected.
transmission
of SARS  Use disinfectants to clean
countertops, and any other surfaces
that may have been infected with
sweat, salive, mucus, vomit, stool, or
urine.

 Wear disposable gloves when

cleaning areas that may have been
contaminated.
CURE?

There is no known cure for

SARS and no treatments have
been proven effective.

Research is being conducted to

find a vaccine for this disease.
•Bythe end of the epidemic 8273 cases of SARS had been reported in 37
countries.
•775 people died from the virus.

•The virus has been contained and no new cases have been reported since

2006, however the disease is not considered to be eradicated, as strains of

the virus may still be evident in animals.