Update on Mystery Illness

By HospiMedica staff writers
Posted on 03 Apr 2003

A team of scientists in the department of microbiology, University of Hong Kong, has successfully cultured the viral agent that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and has made progress in developing a reliable diagnostic test.

The basic test relies on the technique of neutralizing antibodies. In experiments to determine the test's accuracy, scientists found it was able to detect tell-tale antibodies in sera taken from eight SARS patients. This early test will now be further developed into a more sophisticated diagnostic test. "This spectacular achievement is an example of what the world can do when the intellectual resources of nations around the world are focused on a single problem,” said Klaus Stohr, a virologist with the World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland), who is coordinating the global laboratory network.

Canadian researchers have released findings suggesting that the metapneumovirus, which belongs to the paramyxoviridae family, may be the cause of SARS. However, mounting evidence points to a member of the coronavirus family, according to WHO scientists. WHO has established a network of doctors and laboratories who have had experience with SARS. They are using e-mail and teleconferencing to exchange and compare information as quickly as possible.

A new wave of SARS cases has been reported in Vietnam and Singapore, according to WHO. However, following the initial reports of explosive outbursts of the illness among healthcare workers and the rapid spread of the illness, barrier precautions appear to have greatly reduced further spread among healthcare workers in many countries. Barrier precautions include the wearing of gowns, gloves, masks, and goggles. WHO guidelines state that after their discharge, SARS patients should be carefully monitored for a week. Also, WHO is asking airports in cities affected to query international passengers about their health and to discourage travel in those having experienced a fever in the prior 24 hours.

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