April 16, 2003, 12:30 PM ET
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CDC SARS Fact Sheet
A new disease called SARS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating
a new disease called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that
has recently been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe. As
of April 13, about 190 cases of SARS had been reported in the United
States. This fact sheet provides basic information about the disease
and what is being done to combat its spread.
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Symptoms of SARS
In general, SARS begins with a fever greater than 100.4°F (>38.0°C).
Other symptoms may include headache, an overall feeling of discomfort,
and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms.
After 2 to 7 days, SARS patients may develop a dry cough and have
trouble breathing.
How SARS spreads
The primary way that SARS appears to spread is by close person-to-person
contact. Most cases of SARS have involved people who cared for or
lived with someone with SARS, or had direct contact with infectious
material (for example, respiratory secretions) from a person who
has SARS. Potential ways in which SARS can be spread include touching
the skin of other people or objects that are contaminated with infectious
droplets and then touching your eye(s), nose, or mouth. This can
happen when someone who is sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets
onto themselves, other people, or nearby surfaces. It also is possible
that SARS can be spread more broadly through the air or by other
ways that are currently not known.
Who is at risk for SARS
Cases of SARS continue to be reported mainly among people who have
had direct close contact with an infected person, such as those
sharing a household with a SARS patient and health-care workers
who did not use infection control procedures while taking care of
a SARS patient. In the United States, there is no indication of
community spread at this time. CDC continues to monitor this situation
very closely.
Possible cause of SARS
Scientists at CDC and other laboratories have detected a previously
unrecognized coronavirus in patients with SARS. The new coronavirus
is the leading hypothesis for the cause of SARS, however, other
viruses are still under investigation as potential causes.
CDC Recommendations
CDC has issued recommendations and guidelines for people who may
be affected by this outbreak.
For individuals considering travel
to affected parts of Asia:
CDC advises that people planning elective or nonessential travel
to mainland China and Hong Kong, Singapore, and Hanoi, Vietnam may
wish to postpone their trips until further notice. Visit the Travelers' Health web site for more information about CDC's
advice to travelers.
For individuals who think they
might have SARS:
People with symptoms of SARS (fever greater than 100.4°F (>38.0°C)
accompanied by a cough and/or difficulty breathing) should consult
a health-care provider. To help the health-care provider make a
diagnosis, tell them about any recent travel to places where SARS
has been reported or whether there was contact with someone who
had these symptoms
For family members caring for someone
with SARS:
CDC has developed interim
infection control recommendations for patients with suspected SARS
in the household. These basic precautions should be followed for
10 days after respiratory symptoms and fever are gone. During that
time, SARS patients are asked to limit interactions outside the
home (not go to work, school, or other public areas).
For health-care workers:
Transmission of SARS to health-care workers appears to have occurred
after close contact with sick people before recommended infection
control precautions were put into use. CDC has issued interim infection
control recommendations for health-care settings see Interim
Domestic Infection Control Guidance in the Health-Care and Community
Setting for Patients with Suspected SARS page as well as for
the management of exposures to SARS in health-care and other institutional
settings, see Domestic
Guidance for Management of Exposures to Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) for Healthcare and Other Institutional Settings.
What CDC is doing about SARS
CDC is working closely with the World
Health Organization (WHO) and other partners in a global effort
to address the SARS outbreak. For its part, CDC has taken the following
actions:
- Activated its Emergency Operations Center to provide
round-the-clock coordination and response.
- Committed more than 300 medical experts and support
staff to work on the SARS response.
- Deployed medical officers, epidemiologists, and
other specialists to assist with on-site investigations around
the world.
- Provided ongoing assistance to state and local
health departments in investigating possible cases of SARS in
the United States.
- Conducted extensive laboratory testing of clinical
specimens from SARS patients to identify the cause of the disease.
- Initiated a system for distributing health alert
notices to travelers who may have been exposed to cases of SARS.
For more information, visit
CDC's
SARS Web site, or call the CDC public response hotline at (800)
232-4636 (English), (888) 246-2857 (Español), or (888) 232-6348
(TTY)
CDC protects people's health and safety by preventing
and controlling diseases and injuries; enhances health decisions
by providing credible information on critical health issues; and
promotes healthy living through strong partnerships with local,
national, and international organizations.
First Published: late April 2003
Updated: April 2007
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