Introduction of SARS in France, March-April, 2003.
We describe severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in France. Patients meeting the World Health Organization definition of a suspected case underwent a clinical, radiologic, and biologic assessment at the closest university-affiliated infectious disease ward. Suspected cases were immediately reported to the Institut de Veille Sanitaire. Probable case-patients were isolated, their contacts quarantined at home, and were followed for 10 days after exposure. Five probable cases occurred from March through April 2003; four were confirmed as SARS coronavirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing, or both. The index case-patient (patient A), who had worked in the French hospital of Hanoi, Vietnam, was the most probable source of transmission for the three other confirmed cases; two had been exposed to patient A while on the Hanoi-Paris flight of March 22-23. Timely detection, isolation of probable case-patients, and quarantine of their contacts appear to have been effective in preventing the secondary spread of SARS in France.
Desenclos
Jean-Claude
JC
Département Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Veille Sanitaire, Saint-Maurice, France. jc.desenclos@invs.sante.fr
van der Werf
Sylvie
S
Bonmarin
Isabelle
I
Levy-Bruhl
Daniel
D
Yazdanpanah
Yazdan
Y
Hoen
Bruno
B
Emmanuelli
Julien
J
Lesens
Olivier
O
Dupon
Michel
M
Natali
François
F
Michelet
Christian
C
Reynes
Jacques
J
Guery
Benoit
B
Larsen
Christine
C
Semaille
Caroline
C
Mouton
Daniel
D
André
Michel
M
Escriou
Nicolas
N
Burguière
Anna
A
Manuguerra
Jean-Claude
JC
Coignard
Bruno
B
Lepoutre
Agnés
A
Meffre
Christine
C
Bitar
Dounia
D
Decludt
Bénédicte
B
Capek
Isabelle
I
Antona
Denise
D
Che
Didier
D
Herida
Magid
M
Infuso
Andréa
A
Sauri
Christine
C
Brücker
Gilles
G
Hubert
Bruno
B
LeGoff
Dominique
D
Scheidegger
Suzanne
S
D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014195:Travel; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology