SARS-associated coronavirus transmission, United States.
To better assess the risk for transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), we obtained serial specimens and clinical and exposure data from seven confirmed U.S. SARS patients and their 10 household contacts. SARS-CoV was detected in a day-14 sputum specimen from one case-patient and in five stool specimens from two case-patients. In one case-patient, SARS-CoV persisted in stool for at least 26 days after symptom onset. The highest amounts of virus were in the day-14 sputum sample and a day-14 stool sample. Residual respiratory symptoms were still present in recovered SARS case-patients 2 months after illness onset. Possible transmission of SARS-CoV occurred in one household contact, but this person had also traveled to a SARS-affected area. The data suggest that SARS-CoV is not always transmitted efficiently. Routine collection and testing of stool and sputum specimens of probable SARS case-patients may help the early detection of SARS-CoV infection.
Isakbaeva
Elmira T
ET
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. iae4@cdc.gov
Khetsuriani
Nino
N
Beard
R Suzanne
RS
Peck
Angela
A
Erdman
Dean
D
Monroe
Stephan S
SS
Tong
Suxiang
S
Ksiazek
Thomas G
TG
Lowther
Sara
S
Pandya-Smith
Indra
I
Anderson
Larry J
LJ
Lingappa
Jairam
J
Widdowson
Marc-Alain
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D013183:Sputum / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology