Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was an atypical pneumonia. It started in November 2002 in Guangdong Province, in the city of Foshan, of the People's Republic of China. The disease was caused by the SARS coronavirus (SARS CoV), a new coronavirus. It was also a part-time STD, it can be spread through both sexual and casual contact.
SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few months, the illness spread to more than 24 countries in Asia, North America, South America, and Europe before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 8098 people worldwide became sick with SARS during the 2003 outbreak; 774 of these died.
After the Chinese government suppressed news of the SARS outbreak, the disease spread rapidly, reaching Hong Kong and Vietnam in late February 2003, and then to other countries via international travellers. The last case in this outbreak occurred in June 2003. There were a total of 8437 known cases of the disease, with 813 deaths (a mortality rate of 9.636%).
Treatment for SARS,Severe acute respiratory syndrome
The treatment of coronavirus-associated SARS has been evolving and so far there is no consensus on an optimal regimen. This chapter reviews the diverse treatment experience and controversies to date, and aims to consolidate our current knowledge and prepare for a possible resurgence of the disease.
Treatment strategies for SARS were first developed on theoretical bases and from clinical observations and inferences. Prospective randomized controlled treatment trials were understandably lacking during the first epidemic of this novel disease. The mainstream therapeutic interventions for SARS involve broad-spectrum antibiotics and supportive care, as well as antiviral agents and immunomodulatory therapy. Assisted ventilation in a non-invasive or invasive form would be instituted in SARS patients complicated by respiratory failure.
Antibiotic therapy
Anti-bacterial agents are routinely prescribed for SARS because its presenting features are non-specific and rapid laboratory tests that can reliably diagnose the SARS-CoV virus in the first few days of infection are not yet available. Appropriate empirical antibiotics are thus necessary to cover against common respiratory pathogens as per national or local treatment guidelines for community-acquired or nosocomial pneumonia (Niederman et al 2001). Upon exclusion of other pathogens, antibiotic therapy can be withdrawn.
In addition to their antibacterial effects, some antibiotics are known to have immunomodulatory properties, notably the quinolones (Dalhoff & Shalit 2003) and macrolides (Labro & Abdelghaffar 2001). Their effect on the course of SARS is undetermined.
SARS can present with a spectrum of disease severity. A minority of patients with a mild illness recover either without any specific form of treatment or on antibiotic therapy alone (Li G et al 2003; So et al 2003).
SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few months, the illness spread to more than 24 countries in Asia, North America, South America, and Europe before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 8098 people worldwide became sick with SARS during the 2003 outbreak; 774 of these died.
After the Chinese government suppressed news of the SARS outbreak, the disease spread rapidly, reaching Hong Kong and Vietnam in late February 2003, and then to other countries via international travellers. The last case in this outbreak occurred in June 2003. There were a total of 8437 known cases of the disease, with 813 deaths (a mortality rate of 9.636%).
Treatment for SARS,Severe acute respiratory syndrome
The treatment of coronavirus-associated SARS has been evolving and so far there is no consensus on an optimal regimen. This chapter reviews the diverse treatment experience and controversies to date, and aims to consolidate our current knowledge and prepare for a possible resurgence of the disease.
Treatment strategies for SARS were first developed on theoretical bases and from clinical observations and inferences. Prospective randomized controlled treatment trials were understandably lacking during the first epidemic of this novel disease. The mainstream therapeutic interventions for SARS involve broad-spectrum antibiotics and supportive care, as well as antiviral agents and immunomodulatory therapy. Assisted ventilation in a non-invasive or invasive form would be instituted in SARS patients complicated by respiratory failure.
Antibiotic therapy
Anti-bacterial agents are routinely prescribed for SARS because its presenting features are non-specific and rapid laboratory tests that can reliably diagnose the SARS-CoV virus in the first few days of infection are not yet available. Appropriate empirical antibiotics are thus necessary to cover against common respiratory pathogens as per national or local treatment guidelines for community-acquired or nosocomial pneumonia (Niederman et al 2001). Upon exclusion of other pathogens, antibiotic therapy can be withdrawn.
In addition to their antibacterial effects, some antibiotics are known to have immunomodulatory properties, notably the quinolones (Dalhoff & Shalit 2003) and macrolides (Labro & Abdelghaffar 2001). Their effect on the course of SARS is undetermined.
SARS can present with a spectrum of disease severity. A minority of patients with a mild illness recover either without any specific form of treatment or on antibiotic therapy alone (Li G et al 2003; So et al 2003).
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