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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness. SARS first appeared in China in November 2002. Within a few months, SARS spread worldwide, carried by unsuspecting travelers.
SARS showed how quickly infection can spread in a highly mobile and interconnected world. On the other hand, a collaborative international effort allowed health experts to quickly contain the spread of the disease. There has been no known transmission of SARS anywhere in the world since 2004....
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SARS usually begins with flu-like signs and symptoms — fever, chills, muscle aches, headache and occasionally diarrhea. After about a week, signs and symptoms include:
SARS is caused by a strain of coronavirus, the same family of viruses that causes the common cold. Previously, these viruses had never been particularly dangerous to humans.
Coronaviruses can, however, cause severe disease in animals, and that's why scientists suspected that the SARS virus might have crossed from animals to humans. It now seems likely that that the virus evolved from one or more animal viruses into a new strain. How SARS spreads Most respiratory illnesses, including SARS, spread through droplets that enter the...
Despite a concerted global effort, scientists have yet to find an effective treatment for SARS. Antibiotic drugs don't work against viruses, and antiviral drugs haven't shown much benefit.
Researchers are working on several types of vaccines for SARS, but none has been tested in humans. If SARS infections reappear, follow these safety guidelines if you're caring for someone who may have a SARS infection:
Follow all precautions for at least 10 days after the person's signs and symptoms have disappeared. Keep children home from school if they develop a fever or respiratory symptoms within 10 days of being exposed to someone with SARS.
For informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
© Mayo Clinic
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