not yet. researchers hope that the new SARS case is not a sign of an epidemic like those seen earlier this year.
The World Health today recognized as a man of 27 Organisation in Singapore was probably infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus severe, the first documented infection since the WHO declared the disease under control worldwide in early July. The case is confusing. Although several laboratory tests have indicated that the man is infected with the virus, he suffered only a mild fever and cough, and has now fully recovered. More than 2 dozen human contacts have been quarantined, but officials say the case does not appear to threaten public health.
SARS wreaks havoc this spring when the newly identified virus has infected more than 8000 people worldwide and disrupted travel and trade. In July, the WHO said the disease was under control and that all known chains of transmission had been broken. But scientists have been preparing for a possible return of the virus during cold and flu season this winter.
The new patient is a postdoctoral researcher studying the West Nile virus. He first came down with a fever on August 26, several days after working in a biosafety level 3 laboratory that had previously been used to study the SARS coronavirus. Because the man had no contact with known SARS patients, investigators are carefully check to see if the infection is the result of a laboratory accident.
mild symptoms of man do not meet the clinical definition of SARS, says Klaus Stöhr, who coordinated the WHO response to the outbreak last spring. However, he said, tests (PCR) chain reaction by multiple polymerase were positive for coronavirus, and blood tests show that the production of antibodies against human virus increased. These tests "have the laboratory case definition," he says, "but because the case is so strange that it really deserves some additional verification." No human contact has shown no signs of symptoms of SARS, says Stöhr.
The researchers are particularly cautious to jump to conclusions on new outbreaks of SARS after a false alarm in recent British Columbia. Officials, he feared that a group of respiratory infections in nursing home could be a SARS outbreak, but the disease appears to be caused by a different virus ( Science now August 27).
Singapore's quarantine measures are prudent measures to prevent SARS from re-emerging, says Stöhr. Because there are no quick and definitive test for the disease, "it is unlikely" that new SARS cases could slip through the detection mechanisms available, he said. However, success in the fight against SARS earlier this year leaves Stöhr sense of hope that any future epidemic can be controlled.
Related Sites
WHO Information on SARS
Singapore government SARS website
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