SARS-Danielle

=SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)= =by Danielle Duncan= ==

History/ Background Information:
SARS is a disease affecting the respiratory system and is transferred through the SARS corona virus. There was an outbreak and pandemic of SARS from [|February 2003 to July of 2003.] It spread quickly over the time period of two weeks beginning in the Guangdong provinces of China to across 37 countries around the world. During that time period between November-July there wee [|8,098 cases and 774 deaths] which is a fatality rate of 9.6%. The first case of SARS was in Shunde, Foshan ad it was contracted by a farmer who went to the First People's Hospital of Foshan and the patient died soon after.

Symptoms of the Virus:
When contracted SARS give the person flu-like symptoms with the inclusion of different one like fever, myalgia, lethargy, gastrointetinal symptoms, coughing, shortness of breath, and sore throat. There is one symptom that is common to all of the patients and that is a temperatre of over 100°F. [|Symptoms usually occur after about 2-7 days after exposure.] After contracting SARS 10-20% of patients needed mechanical respiration since the virus attaked the respiratory system.

Transmission:
The virus travels from person to person through the nosocomial transmission of respiratory pathogens. So close contact between people and touching surfaces in which the respiratory droplets reside.

Structure/Composition:
The outside of the virus are covered in spikes that are called spike glycoprotein, this is what gives the virus to stick onto cells. Underneath the spike lay smal pockets of small envelope protein and membran glycoprotein. Inside the outer layers there is the Nucleocapssid protein and RNS.

Infection:
The virus is targeted towards the lungs and attaches itself to the upper right cell surface and uses it's spikes to bind with the cell. It enters the cell using membrane fusion. The genomic RNA creates a -ve version of itself and forms a replication complex. They release their genetic material into the cytoplasm of the cell. The virus matures as it travels through the Golgi apparatus. They collect in the membrane bound sacs and is released in large numbers. The virus affects the respiratory tract and in most cases cause pneumonia.

Body vs. Virus:
There are currently no treatment for the SARS-CoV so the treatment given is just to provide relief to the symptoms and complications of the virus. The supportive care can include Intravenous (IV) fluids, Medications, including antibiotics, steroids, and/or antivirals, Breathing support from a ventilator, Prevention of secondary infections. Also they keep the patients in intensive care to avoid letting it spread.

Virus Mutilation
The SARs virus could be isolated in the palm civets, animals that are sold in the wild animal markets in Guangdong provinces in China. Over 10,000 palm civets were destroyed that year. The virus was also later found in racoon dogs and domesticated cats. In 2005 they found SARS-like viruses in Chinese bats it showed no symptoms but most scientists believe that the virus jumped the xenographic barrier from bats to humans.

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