Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is brought about by the SARS coronavirus (SARS CoV). The coronaviruses typically cause infections in both animals and humans.
How does it spread?
As an airborne virus, SARS spreads in the same way as the flu and common cold. The SARS virus spreads in small droplets of saliva that is sneezed or coughed into the air by an infected individual. Once an individual inhale these droplets, he/she becomes infected.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome also spreads indirectly if an infected individual touches surfaces with unwashed hands such as door handles.
The virus might also spread via infected stools. This can occur if the infected person was not able to wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet.
Indications
Severe acute respiratory syndrome triggers flu-like symptoms that arise at 2-7 days after being infected. In some instances, the period between exposure to the virus and the start of the symptoms can be up to 10 days.
The usual indications of SARS include:
After these symptoms, the infection starts to involve the lungs and airways which leads to additional symptoms such as:
- Difficulty breathing
- Dry cough
- Increased lack of oxygen in the blood which can be deadly in most cases
Management of SARS
Even today, there is no available cure of SARS, but there is continued effort in creating a vaccine.
An individual suspected with severe acute respiratory syndrome must be hospitalized right away and kept in isolation under close monitoring. The treatment is generally supportive and might include:
- Assistance with breathing using a ventilator to provide oxygen to the body
- Large doses of steroids to lessen the swelling in the lungs
- Antibiotics to deal with the bacteria responsible for pneumonia
- Antiviral medications