title: Severe acute respiratory syndrome.
abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was caused by a previously unrecognized animal coronavirus that exploited opportunities provided by 'wet markets' in southern China to adapt to become a virus readily transmissible between humans. Hospitals and international travel proved to be 'amplifiers' that permitted a local outbreak to achieve global dimensions. In this review we will discuss the substantial scientific progress that has been made towards understanding the virus-SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-and the disease. We will also highlight the progress that has been made towards developing vaccines and therapies The concerted and coordinated response that contained SARS is a triumph for global public health and provides a new paradigm for the detection and control of future emerging infectious disease threats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfualm, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. malik@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: J S M
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Peiris
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008954:Models, Biological; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents