Specific Disease Frequently Asked Questions | SARS
Choose a topic below to jump to the Specific Disease FAQ's for that particular topic.
THE ILLNESS
What is SARS?
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness that
has recently been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe.
What is the cause of SARS?
Scientists at CD and other laboratories have detected a previously unrecognized
corona virus in patients with SARS. This new coronavirus is the leading
hypothesis for the cause of SARS.
What are coronaviruses?
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that have a halo or crown-like (corona)
appearance when viewed under a microscope. These viruses are a common
cause of mild to moderate upper-respiratory illness in humans and are
associated with respiratory, gastrointestinal, liver and Neurologic disease
in animals.
How long can the SARS coronavirus
(SARS Co-V) survive in the environment?
Preliminary studies in some research laboratories suggest that the virus
may survive in the environment for several days. The length of time that
the virus survives likely depends on a number of factors. These factors
could include the type of material or body fluid containing the virus
and various environmental conditions such as temperature or humidity.
Researchers at CDC and other institutions are designing standardized experiments
to measure how long SARS Co-V can survive in situations that simulate
natural environmental conditions.
Data on survival of SARS outside of the human body emphasize the importance
of frequent handwashing with soap and water or use of alcohol-based sanitizing
lotion/gel.
[top of page]
What are the symptoms and signs
of SARS?
The illness usually begins with a fever (greater than 100.4 F). The fever
is sometimes associated with chills or other symptoms, including headache,
general feeling of discomfort and body aches. Some people also experience
mild respiratory symptoms at the outset.
After 2 to 7 days, SARS patients may develop a dry, nonproductive cough
that might be accompanied by or progress to the point where insufficient
oxygen is getting to the blood. In 10% to 20% of cases, patients will
require mechanical ventilation.
[top of page]
If I were exposed to SARS,
how long would it take for me to become sick?
The incubation period for SARS is typically 2 - 7 days; however, isolated
reports have suggestion an incubation period as long as 10 days.
[top of page]
What medical treatment is recommended
for patients with SARS?
CDC currently recommends that patients with SARS receive the same treatment
that would be used for any patient with serious community-acquired atypical
pneumonia.
[top of page]
What should I do if I think
I have SARS?
If you are ill with a fever greater than 100.4 F that is accompanied by
a cough or difficulty breathing or that progresses to a cough and/or difficulty
breathing, you should consult a health-care provider. To help your health-care
provider make a diagnosis, tell him or her about any recent travel to
regions where cases of SARS have been reported and whether you were in
contact with someone who has had these symptoms. You can also contact
the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment
for further instructions and/or information.
[top of page]
THE SPREAD OF SARS
How is SARS spread?
The primary way that SARS appears to spread is by close person-to-person
contact. Potential ways in which SARS can be spread include touching the
skin of other people or objects that are contaminated with infectious
droplets and then touching your eye(s), nose, or mouth. This can happen
when someone who is sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets onto themselves,
other people, or nearby surfaces. It also is possible that SARS can be
spread more broadly through the air or by other ways that are currently
not known.
[top of page]
How can I protect myself against
SARS?
There are some common-sense measures that you can take to prevent the
spread of SARS that apply to many infectious diseases. The most important
is frequent hand washing with soap and water or use of alcohol-based hand
rubs. In addition, you should avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
with unclean hands and encourage people around you to cover their nose
and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
[top of page]
Who is most at risk of contracting
SARS?
Most of the U.S. cases of SARS have occurred among travelers returning
to the United States from other parts of the world affected by SARS. There
have been very few cases as a result of spread to close contacts such
as family members and health care workers. Currently, there is no evidence
that SARS is spreading more widely in the community in the United States.
[top of page]
Should I wear a surgical mask
to prevent SARS?
People who have-or think they might have-SARS should cover their mouth
and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If possible, they also
should wear a surgical mask during close contact with people who are not
infected (for example, household members) to prevent the spread of infectious
droplets. When a person with SARS is unable to wear a surgical mask, household
members should wear surgical masks when in close contact with the patient.
Surgical masks should fit snugly around the mouth and nose. Masks are
intended for use by one person only and should not be shared. Masks should
be discarded when soiled or moist; changing masks daily is a good rule
of thumb.
[top of page]
TRAVEL & QUARANTINE
Are there any travel restrictions
related to SARS?
At this time there are no TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS in place that are directly
related to SARS. However, a CDC travel advisory recommends that individuals
who are planning nonessential or elective travel to mainland China, Hong
Kong and Taiwan may wish to postpone their trip until further notice.
CDC also has issued travel alerts for Singapore; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Toronto,
Canada, to recommend that U.S. travelers to any of these places observe
precautions to safeguard their health.
[top of page]
What if I must travel to a
county where there is community spread of SARS? What precautions can I
take?
As with all infectious illnesses, the first line of defense is careful
hand hygiene. As a general rule, it is good practice to wash hands frequently
with soap and water; if hands are not visibly soiled, alcohol-based hand
rubs may be used as an alternative.
To minimize the possibility of infection, you may wish to avoid close
contact with large numbers of people as much as possible. CDC does not
recommend the routine use of masks while in public areas.
[top of page]
What should I do if I have
recently traveled to a county where cases of SARS have been reported?
You should monitor your own health for 10 days following your return.
If you become ill with a fever of more than 100.4 F that is accompanied
by a cough or difficulty breathing or that progresses to a cough and/or
difficulty breathing, you should consult a health-care provider. To help
your health-care provider make a diagnosis, tell him or her about any
recent travel to regions where cases of SARS have been reported and whether
you were in contact with someone who had these symptoms.
[top of page]
What is the difference between
a "travel alert" and a "travel advisory" issued by
CDC?
CDC issues two types of notices to travelers depending on specific situations:
travel alerts and travel advisories. Travel Alerts inform travelers
of a health concern in a particular area and provide advice about specific
precautions that should be taken. A Travel Advisory notifies travelers
of potentially more serious situations and advises that non-essential
travel be postponed.
[top of page]
What is the risk to individuals
who may have shared a plan or boat trip with a suspected SARS patient?
Cases of SARS continue to be reported primarily among people who have
had direct close contact with an infected person, such as those sharing
a household with a SARS patient and health-care workers who did not use
infection control procedures while attending to a SARS patient. SARS also
has occurred among air travelers, primarily travelers to and from Hong
Kong, Hanoi, Singapore and mainland China.
CDC is requesting locating information from travelers who are on flight
with people suspects of having SARS. You should contact your local health
department if you suspect that this has occurred, so that the health department
can report this to the CDC and they can begin their investigation.
[top of page]
If I'm on board an airplane
or ship with someone suspected of having SARS, will I be allowed to continue
to my destination?
CDC does not currently recommend that the onward travel of health passengers
be restricted nit he event that a passenger or crew member suspected of
having SARS is removed from the ship or airplane by port health authorities.
All passengers and crew members may be advised by port health authorities
to seek medial attention if they develop SARS symptoms.
[top of page]