Sars one year on
BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.0404166 (Published 01 April 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:0404166- Bella Dave, final year medical student1,
- Dominic E Dywer, medical virologist2
- 1Guy's, King's, and St Thomas's School of Medicine, London
- 2Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
In late 2002, reports of a new severe respiratory disease began to emerge from Guangdong in southern China. Now defined as severe acute respiratory disease (SARS), explosive outbreaks in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada, and China brought it international attention in early 2003. As the first serious new infectious disease of this century, it was unusual in its high morbidity and mortality, and took full advantage of the opportunities provided by a world of international travel and hospital environments. By July 2003, 8437 cases of SARS had been reported worldwide, leading to 813 deaths.1
SARS causes fever then rapidly progressive respiratory compromise, chills, muscle aches, headache, loss of appetite, and diarrhoea--similar to influenza and other causes of atypical pneumonia. The cause of SARS is a new coronavirus, almost identical to viruses isolated from palm civet cats, a delicacy in southern China, and other wild animals from food markets in the city of Shenzhen. Whether these animals are the origin of the coronavirus, is still uncertain. Chinese food handlers, including caterers and chefs, were heavily represented among the first patients with SARS, consistent with SARS being a zoonosis. Having crossed species from animals to people, SARS then spread from person to person.2 About three quarters of diseases emerging in the past decade were zoonotic.
Multi-phase spread
Initially appearing as small clusters of atypical pneumonia in Guangdong province, although out of the ordinary was not considered exceptional. But the referral of a patient to a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou with presumed viral pneumonia led to the global alert. For two days he was in the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yet-San Medical University before being transferred to another hospital. During this time, 28 medical personnel fell ill with SARS, as well as …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £184 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£50 / $60/ €56 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.