Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) - Atypical Pneumonia

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) - Atypical Pneumonia Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (in English: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-SARS) is an infectious disease that is associated with high fever, dyspnea, hoarseness, cough, sore throat and severe alteration of general state. The disease is caused by a virus in family Corona-virus is very virulent, so the disease has a fatal prognosis for many patients. At the moment there is no specific treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome, so it treats only the symptoms.
Definition Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is an inflammatory disease with similar clinical manifestations of influenza, also called atypical pneumonia. Patients requiring medical supervision. In November 2002 it was found for the first time in South China's Guangdong province, such a respiratory illness of unknown etiology. The first cases appeared in the region bordering Hong Kong in February 2003. It is assumed that the virus has been exported from there to Vietnam, spreading rapidly among those infected tutors and medical personnel. In mid March 2003 in Frankfurt / Main has declared a state of quarantine on a flight route New York to Singapore, where there is a doctor with his wife and mother. The doctor found that patients exhibit similar symptoms that he had treated in Singapore. Presumptive diagnosis was "severe acute respiratory syndrome" and was asked about a virus attack for now unidentifiable. Dr. Carlo Urbani, who discovered new pulmonary disease, died himself in Thailand due to the evolution of serious infection. Urbani discovered pathogen and world attention on the SARS disease. On 24 March 2003, this virus was identified simultaneously by three working groups, as part of the family Corona-virus. During the SARS conference in Kuala Lumpur in June 2003 17/18 / Malaysia, the WHO Director General said: "The world community has learned important lessons from the SARS epidemic in conjunction with measures to prevent a similar outbreak in the future." Since mid-June 2003 decreased disease rate very much, actually registering the end of the SARS epidemic.
Prevalence During the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, which lasted from November 1, 2002 until August 7, 2003 there were a total of 8422 cases of disease in 29 countries, of which 916 people died. The most seriously affected were China (5327 sick and 349 dead), Hongkong (1755 patients and 298 deaths) and Taiwan (678 sick and 84 dead). Most patients were adults, rarely children. The mortality rate was located about 8%.
Etiology Pathogens Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is caused by a virus in family Corona-virus which has not previously been identified in humans, whose genome is now completely unraveling. Two representatives of this virus family are responsible for about one quarter of all relatively harmless respiratory pathologies. Pathogens pass from animals to humans, especially when they live together in a tight space. The route of transmission Severe acute respiratory syndrome is transmitted by air (via droplets Fluegge). Cases of disease of people living under the same roof have led to the hypothesis that severe acute respiratory syndrome is a disease more contagious than was assumed up to a point. At the moment can not be disputed that the disease germs can spread over great distances through air, drinking water, the stool or even air conditioners. Scientists say the responsible pathogen survives in normal conditions at least 24 hours outside the body. Moreover, the existence of virus can be emphasized even a month after the time of infection, such patients in the chair. The virus that triggers severe acute respiratory syndrome becomes inactive at temperatures above 56 ◦ C. The incubation period The time interval from the time of infection until the first symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome is between two and seven days, five average.
Clinical Simtomatologia severe acute respiratory syndrome is nonspecific and similar to the flu. The clinical picture is dominated by: - High fever (above 38 ◦ C); - Cough strong; - Dyspnea (breathing exercise) with slow breathing (slower rate of breathing); - Sore throat - Chills; In addition, they can occur: - Headache (headache); - Muscle stiffness; - Lack of appetite - Confusion; - Watery diarrhea without blood or mucus; - Rash; - Malaise;
Diagnosis Diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome in the first line put the symptoms, correlated with a patient's stay in one of the countries seriously affected by the disease. Radiograph shows pulmonary inflammation in lung tissue from atypical viral attack. There is a large discrepancy between severe symptoms and result in less pronounced radiological examination. Diagnosis can be confirmed by a high rezontanta computertomografie with an examination or direct highlighting of the virus.
Treatment At the moment there is no etiologic treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome. Therapy is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with ribavirin (a drug for hepatitis C) and a cortisone-based preparation and aims to improve symptoms and prevent secondary bacterial infection. In addition, antiviral medications may be administered, although not specifically acts against the virus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome. Patients treated in intensive care units with solitary confinement.
Charts The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome is variable from medium forms of death. In many patients there is an improvement in symptoms after one or two weeks. The mortality rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome was at 9% during the last outbreak.
Prevention To protect against a possible infection with the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, travel to affected lands should avoid the congestion of people and animals. Wearing a mask to cover mouth and nose also provides considerable protection. There is currently no drug prevention means severe acute respiratory syndrome.