title: [SARS--the facts. Transmission, diagnosis and managing suspected cases].
abstract: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a new infectious disease that, in the short period between 1 February and 24 April 2003, has been diagnosed in more than 4000 patients. Its origin was traced to Guandong, a province in southeast China. The culprit organism was identified as a new coronavirus. The clinical presentation is unspecific and includes fever, respiratory symptoms, lymphopenia and pulmonary infiltrates on X-ray. Essential steps to prevent further dissemination of the virus are rapid identification, and treatment in an isolation unit. Despite all the international efforts and the rapid progress in the investigation of SARS coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), the epidemic has not yet been brought under control.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf. oette@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feldt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oette
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kroidl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Göbels
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Häussinger
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010356:Patient Isolation; D011790:Quarantine; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission*
chemical_list: D012254:Ribavirin; D006854:Hydrocortisone