Prof:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was discovered in the last decade. The disease is a human acute respiratory disorder that was associated with a global outbreak which all occurs within few weeks of first identification of the case. This viral disease resulted in a state of confusion and criticism against China that acted slowly on reporting the first case that was identified (WHO, 2003). The disease is caused by SARS coronavirus which basically spread via contact with respiratory secretions of infected patients.
The disease presented a form of formidable challenges to the medical world with various forms of social, economic and political implications around the world. The impact caused by the disease led to various forms of sponsored researches and surveillance system to identify and control the SARS agents. It was found out during the outbreak that traveling hubs around the world seem to be the most affected regions globally (Parashar & Anderson, 2003).
Spread and severity of SARS
World health organizations in their publication of researches and findings show various factors that actually led to the spread of the disease. Those characteristics of SARS that allow easy transmission are important in preventive measures and classification of the disease. SARS can be classified as a high risk infectious disease simply because of the following identified factors leading to it spread.
One characteristic of SARS virus is that, it can easily be transmitted from one person to another especially by direct contact with the person or infected surfaces or materials (Abdullah et al, 2003). It is less transmissible by air when compared to the rate of direct contact. Another important characteristic World Health Organization has been able to establish is that of the high infectivity rate despite the present inability to determine the minimum dose required to cause infection (WHO, 2003). Short incubation period is a factor that also contributes to virulence of the organism.
Why those selected characteristics are important in the classification of the infectious disease are easily justifiable. Immediately infectious is a character that made SARS an epidemic globally. Once an infectious agent has this characteristic, the agent will spread easily and become infectious affecting more people. It does not usually require longer time to spread or become infectious to other people around. The fact that the incubation period is of shorter duration also contributes to its widespread and severity. The role of direct contact is related to ease of spread to people around the patients having direct contact and managing the patients.
Conclusion
Considering those characteristic that makes SARS virus a high risk infectious agent, the characteristics of easy spread by direct contact is still the most important factor while people tend to worry about their travel plans or cancel it. The major issue here is that, people are not sure of what they must not touch or get close to. Even if there is high surveillance and monitoring protocols, the fear of the deadly infections caused by the virus will create the need to prevent themselves from being infected. Since international travel pathways have been found to be one of the most important areas with high risk of infection rate.
References
Abdullah et al, (2003). Lessons from the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in hong kong. Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Retrieved April 9, 2012 from http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/9/9/03-0366_article.htm
CDC, (2004). The Disease. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Retrieved April 10, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/sars/about/faq.html
Parashar, U.D & Anderson L.J., (2004). Severe acute respiratory syndrome: review and lessons of the 2003 outbreak. International Journal of Epidemiology.
Retrieved April 9, 2012 from http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/33/4/628.full
WHO, (2003). Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-multi-country outbreak - Update 45. Global Alert and Response (GAR).
Retrieved April 9, 2012 from http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_05_02a/en/index.html
