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Suspected Cases in the USA Mostly Acquired by Travelers Experts Believe that SARS is Spread by Coughing/Sneezing AIDS Treatment News
Just a week ago it looked like SARS might be dying out -- but then Hong Kong reported over 50 new cases in one day. Conferences and other public events are being postponed or cancelled in that city and some other parts of Asia. This disease could end on its own, or it could become a worldwide pandemic and kill many people. Currently there are over 80 suspected cases in the U.S., most acquired from travel abroad. SARS is believed to be caused by a previously unknown virus. Some but not all patients have severe breathing difficulties and need a respirator. So far the fatality rate has been about 4%. Recently Hong Kong physicians reported success in treating seriously ill patients with antibodies from those who had recovered -- a well-known technique that has been used successfully with other infectious diseases. At this time experts believe that SARS is spread mostly by close personal contact, as in hospitals or homes, especially by coughing or sneezing. Some patients appear to be much more contagious than others. No one knows how well the infection can travel through the air in public places. It might also be spread by objects recently handled by an infected person. For Current Information One place to start is a Web page by the U.S. National Library of Medicine: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/severeacuterespiratorysyndrome.html For more detailed information, see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) page: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/ We have not yet seen any HIV-specific information about SARS. Comment We suggest that more be done to support people in complying with public-health directives -- especially travelers far from home who are asked not to fly if they have possible symptoms. If they fear being stranded in a foreign country thousands of miles from home with no place to stay, uncertain medical care, and problems getting a flight home when they recover, they will have strong incentive to lie and conceal their illness. It would cost little for public-health systems to help make arrangements for the few travelers affected at this time. New diseases will become increasingly serious due to crowded populations, massive air travel, and possibly bioterrorism. Proper support for public health, long neglected by governments that care only for the rich (who can afford private medicine), will become a life-or-death issue for everyone. AIDS Treatment News Published twice monthly Subscription and Editorial Office: 1233 Locust St., 5th floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 800/TREAT-1-2 toll-free email: aidsnews@critpath.org useful links: http://www.aidsnews.org/ Editor and Publisher: John S. James Associate Editor: Tadd T. Tobias Statement of Purpose: AIDS Treatment News reports on experimental and standard treatments, especially those available now. We interview physicians, scientists, other health professionals, and persons with AIDS or HIV; we also collect information from meetings and conferences, medical journals, and computer databases. Long-term survivors have usually tried many different treatments, and found combinations that work for them. AIDS Treatment News does not recommend particular therapies, but seeks to increase the options available. AIDS Treatment News is published 24 times per year, on the first and third Friday of every month, and print copies are sent by first class mail. Email is available (see below). Back issues are available at http://www.aidsnews.org/ To subscribe, you can call 800-TREAT-1-2 or 415-255-0588: |
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Almost everyone has now heard of SARS (severe acute respiratory
syndrome), a new disease that can cause a serious and sometimes
fatal pneumonia. As we go to press (April 2, 2003) the news is
changing very rapidly.