Our aims!

Hi there everyone! :)

Our aim of this blog is to tell you more about SARS. SARS caused a huge pandemonium all around the world, so, right here, you will find out more about how Information communication technology (ICT) was used for people all around the world to communicate. e.g. Doctors all around the world using ICT to communicate with one another, etc. Will update you more on it soon! 

Thanks :)

What is SARS?

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS corona virus. Between November 2002 and July 2003, an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Within weeks, SARS spread from Hong Kong to infect individuals in 37 countries in early 2003.

As of today, the spread of SARS has been fully contained, with the last infected human case seen in June 2003. However, SARS is not claimed to have been eradicated (unlike smallpox), as it may still be present in its natural host reservoirs (animal populations) and may potentially return into the human population in the future.

The fatality of SARS is less than 1% for people aged 24 or younger, 6% for those 25 to 44, 15% for those 45 to 64, and more than 50% for those over 65. For comparison, the fatality of influenza is usually around 0.6% (primarily among the elderly), but can rise as high as 33% in severe epidemics of new strains.

Causes of SARS

Corona viruses are positive-strand, enveloped RNA viruses that are important pathogens of mammals and birds. This group of viruses causes enteric or respiratory tract infections in a variety of animals, including humans, livestock and pets.


Initial electron microscopic examination in Hong Kong and Germany found viral particles with structures suggesting paramyxovirus in respiratory secretions of SARS patients. Subsequently, in Canada, electron microscopic examination found viral particles with structures suggestive of metapneumovirus (a subtype of paramyxovirus) in respiratory secretions. Chinese researchers also reported a Chlamydophila-like disease may be behind SARS. The Pasteur Institute in Paris identified corona virus in samples taken from six patients, as did the laboratory of Malik Peiris at the University of Hong Kong, which in fact was the first to announce (on 21 March 2003) the discovery of a new corona virus as the possible cause of SARS, after successfully cultivating it from tissue samples and was also amongst the first to develop a test for the presence of the virus.



The CDC noted viral particles in affected tissue (finding a virus in tissue rather than secretions suggests it is actually pathogenic rather than an incidental finding). Upon electron microscopy, these tissue viral inclusions resembled corona viruses, and comparison of viral genetic material obtained by PCR with existing genetic libraries suggested the virus was a previously unrecognized corona virus. Sequencing of the virus genome was the first step toward developing a diagnostic test for the virus, and possibly a vaccine. A test was developed for antibodies to the virus, and it was found that patients did indeed develop such antibodies over the course of the disease, which is highly suggestive of a causative role.


On 16 April 2003, the WHO issued a press release stating a corona virus identified by a number of laboratories was the official cause of SARS. Scientists at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands demonstrated that the SARS corona virus fulfilled Koch's postulates thereby confirming it as the causative agent. In the experiments, macaques infected with the virus developed the same symptoms as human SARS victims.

Viral replications

Viral replication is the formation of biological viruses during the infection process in the target host cells. Since viruses are intracellular obligate parasites, they cannot replicate their genes without the help of a living cell. The purpose of viral replication is to ensure production and survival of its own kind. Viruses lacks needed components to reproduce thus it infects a cell, marshals much of the cellular’s machinery and replicates itself. By this replication method, the virus is able to continue infecting new hosts. Different types of viruses have their own unique ways of replication strategy. Viruses may infect any type of cell the bacterial, animal and plant cells.


The 6 main steps in the process of viral infection are:


1. Adsorption


The virus attaches itself to a cell surface which has the appropriate receptors such as carbohydrate, protein or lipid.

2. Penetration


The virus enters the cell through different types of ways depending on the nature of the virus and the genes involved in them. The virus injects its genome into the host cell.

3. Viral Genome Replication


The viral genome replicates using the host’s cellular machinery.

4. Assembly


New viral components and enzymes are produced and assembled.


5. Maturation


Viral components fully assemble and the viruses fully develop.


6. Release


The newly-produced and developed viruses are released from the host cell due to cell lysis. However, if the viruses are enveloped, the virus may bud from the cell. Budding viruses do not kill the cell and not all released viruses are infectious.


When the replication process is complete, the host cell is left to infect other cells in the organism.

Diagnosis

 

  The symptoms of SARS are flu-like, the person who contracts SARS might have fever, lethargy symptoms, myalgia, sore throat, cough or even other non specific symptoms. However, the most common symptom is fever which is above the temperature of 38°C. Also, the patient might have a shortness of breath after contracting the fever. The first stage of SARS is similar to the symptoms of a cold at first, however resemble to influenza soon after.

Treatment

Antibiotics are ineffective in treating SARS. Antipyretics, supplemental oxygen and ventilation support as needed are used for the treatment of SARS.

People who are suspected to have SARS are to be quarantined in negatively pressured rooms not allowing anyone to come into contact with these patients.

Some immunity systems can overreact to SARS, therefore causing a cytokine storm and is a serious damage in SARS.

The clinical treatment of SARS has been relatively ineffective causing the most high risk patients to require artificial ventilation. Drugs such as corticosteroids and ribavirin are common drugs which are used to treat SARS. Positive clinical outcomes which includes the use of Kaletra, ribavirin and corticosteroids are better combinations of drugs. Predniston, the administration of corticosteroids has became controversial during the viral infections. However, there are side effects, Lymphopenia which causes a decrease in immune response and a spike in viral loads, yet physicians still have to balance the need for anti-inflammatory treatment of corticosteroids.

However, there is no cure or vaccine which prevents SARS. Identification and development of medicine and novel vaccines for treatment of SARS and mainly priority for gonvernment and public health agencies all around the world.

Chances of contracting SARS

  A total of 8422 people contracted SARS and 916 of which, unfortunately, passed away. The fatality rate of SARS is the lowest for the people below the age of 25, below 1%. It is 6% for middle aged people, between the ages of 25 to 44. Also, a total of 15% for people between the ages of 45 to the age of 64. Lastly, it is a more than 50% were people over the age of 65. Therefore we can conclude that the older people who were above the age of 65 were the most vulnerable to SARS.

Information Communication Technology

ICT, which stands for information communication technology, was used during the critical period of SARS for communicating and accessing information with each other, as people were strongly encouraged to stay at home to prevent close contact with one another in order to ensure there was no further spreading of SARS.

At the same period, electronic medical records exchange was also introduced, allowing the sharing of medical records between hospitals and polyclinics. This is to facilitate and to provide more efficient health care to the public. With ICT, Chinese herbs and western medicine were combined. Integrated Chinese and western medicine played an important role in the treatment approach. Among 5327 confirmed cases, 3104 patients received Chinese medicine. However, it made no difference in decreasing morbidity versus western medicines alone. Combining these two medications may also improve symptoms, quality of life; lungs infiltrate absorption and decrease the corticos teroid dosage for SARS patients.





Article on ICT are posted on the net, through news and flyers:

Increasing awareness of SARS was an Asian mass media especially broadcast television. It was not just the public health system that took on the epidemic when SARS spread across much of East Asia and Southeast Asia. The local, national and regional media played a big part in raising this awareness. The airways were mobilised for preventing, containing and eventually stopping the disease from spreading after a few months.

Sources

Special thanks to the websites which we got our information and pictures from:

http://www.rndsystems.com/cb_detail_objectname_WI04_ACE2.aspx

http://agetec.org/ageteca/_themes/citrus/single-stranded-rna-virus-replication

http://wikihunk.com/collegeessays/essay-and-article-on-severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome-causes-symptomstests-and-treatment/

http://talkliveeat.blogspot.sg/2012/05/its-all-bout-ict.html

http://exploreim.ucla.edu/ 

http://www.instantdisplay.co.uk/ict.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004460/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_and_communications_technology

http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/

http://www.who.int/csr/sars/country/en/index.html 

http://www.who.int/csr/sars/areas/en/index.html 

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_03_16/en/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonia