SARS: A Literal and Figurative Headache

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has brought illness and fear.
        

       

On Our Forum "It is so crazy here in Ontario, I have never seen anything like this. People are wearing masks and it is almost impossible to get into a hospital. I would hate to be having a heart attack! Over two thousand people are in isolation in their homes in Toronto because of S.A.R.S. My family doctor will be back on Monday so I will go to see her then. In the meantime if this gets any worse I will try to see someone. Even people who are waiting for organ donations can't have surgery right now, as almost all surgeries have been postponed. I can see the reasoning behind these extreme measures though as they have to find out exactly how it is spread etc. It is a scary thing, like something out of a movie ..." Join the discussion      Elsewhere on the Web • CDC: Centers for Disease Control SARS Information • WHO: World Health Organization SARS Information       Free Newsletter Email Address Subscribe to: BEATING HEADACHES Email Newsletter

April 8, 2003

Not only is a headache a symptom of SARS, this illness is giving those with headaches and Migraine another problem -- limited access to health care. Some of our readers in Canada report that they're forced to handle headaches and Migraines without the care they'd normally seek due to the concern about the spread of SARS.

What is SARS and What Are Its Symptoms?
SARS is the acronym for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Outbreaks have been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe. The incubation period is usually two to seven days, but have been as long as ten days in a few cases. SARS usually begins with a fever a temperature higher than 100.4°F (higher than 38.0°C). In addition to the fever, symptoms may include:

• headache
• chills
• body aches
• general feeling of discomfort
• mild respiratory symptoms at the outset
• after three to seven days, SARS patients may develop a dry, nonproductive cough possibly accompanied by or progressing to the point where insufficient oxygen is getting to the blood. In 10% to 20% of cases, patients will require mechanical ventilation

What Causes SARS?
Although other viruses are still under investigation as the possible cause of SARS, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other laboratories have isolated a formerly unknown coronavirus from the tissues of SARS patients. While this is not yet conclusive evidence, this is currently the leading hypothesis. Coronaviruses are a common cause of upper respiratory illness and can survive in the environment for up to three hours.

How is SARS Spread?
According to the CDC, "The principal way SARS appears to be spread is through droplet transmission; namely, when someone sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets into the air and someone else breathes them in. It is possible that SARS can be transmitted more broadly through the air or from objects that have become contaminated ... It is possible that SARS could be spread when a person touches a contaminated object or surface; however, how often this might happen, or if it happens at all, is not known at this time. Previously identified coronaviruses (scientists have reported that a new cororavirus may be the cause of SARS) have been shown to survive in the environment for as long as 3 hours. To reduce the overall risk for infection by touching contaminated objects and surfaces, CDC recommends that people wash their hands thoroughly and often with soap and water."

What Is the Treatment for SARS?
The CDC-recommended treatment regimen includes antibiotics to treat bacterial agents known to cause atypical pneumonia,; antiviral agents such as ribavirin and oseltamivir. Additionally, steroids have been administered either intravenously or orally in combination with ribavirin and other antimicrobials. These are the same treatments that are recommended for patients who have developed atypical pneumonia after exposure to it from another patient as opposed to the pneumonia developing from a more typical respiratory illness that progressed to pneumonia. Although several such treatment regimens have been employed for SARS patients, there is not yet sufficient information to know how effective they are.

How many cases of SARS have been reported so far?
As of April 7, 2003, there have been 2,601 cases of SARS reported and 98 resultant deaths.¹ The areas most affected are China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and the United States.

What is CDC doing to combat this health threat?
CDC is working closely with WHO and other partners as part of a global collaboration to address the SARS outbreak. For its part in this international effort, CDC has taken the following actions:

• Activated its Emergency Operations Center to provide round-the-clock coordination and response.
• Committed more than 160 infectious disease experts and support staff to work on the SARS response.
• Deployed medical officers, epidemiologists, and other specialists to assist with on-site investigations around the world.
• Provided ongoing assistance to state and local health departments in investigating possible cases of SARS in the United States.
• Issued multiple notices providing guidance on ways to minimize the risk for SARS in healthcare facilities, in the household, when traveling, and in other settings.
• Conducted extensive laboratory testing of clinical specimens from SARS patients to identify the cause of the disease.
• Initiated a system for distributing health alert notices to travelers who may have been exposed to cases of SARS.

For More Information, please see:

• SARS FAQ from the CDC
• SARS Fact Sheet from the CDC
• SARS Information Available from the CDC

Updates to this article will be made available on a regular basis until this health crisis is resolved. For updates, click HERE.

¹ The World Health Organization: Cumulative Number of Reported Cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

~ © Teri Robert, 2003

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