Wednesday, September 24, 2003
NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THE SARS CORONAVIRUS
IS MORE WIDESPREAD AND OLDER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
Are pigs the key to understanding the complications of SARS?
According to a report from South Africa's News24, "Recent studies in China indicate the pneumonia-like Sars virus might have existed in humans for some time, as scientists testing blood samples collected prior to the recent outbreaks found evidence of the virus."
According to the study, over 40% of 92 children at one Chinese hospital, who did not have symptons of SARS, tested positive for antibodies to the SARS coronavirus. Also, when scientists looked at over sixteen hundred samples of blood from Chinese adults taken between 2001 and 2002, they found that 16 people tested positive for the SARS coronavirus.
These findings raise questions about the conventional wisdom about SARS. The prevailing theory has been that SARS emerged from exotic animals and infected people at some point last autumn. Now it appears that the virus may have been circulating for some time. It also suggests that many more people may have been infected with the agent and not gotten the severe symptoms of SARS. In addition, the findings may suggest that other agents might be necessary to help the SARS coronavirus create the severe pathology associated with SARS.
The new findings also might support our suggestion that the complicated respiratory diseases circulating in pigs may be the key to understanding SARS.
IS MORE WIDESPREAD AND OLDER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
Are pigs the key to understanding the complications of SARS?
According to a report from South Africa's News24, "Recent studies in China indicate the pneumonia-like Sars virus might have existed in humans for some time, as scientists testing blood samples collected prior to the recent outbreaks found evidence of the virus."
According to the study, over 40% of 92 children at one Chinese hospital, who did not have symptons of SARS, tested positive for antibodies to the SARS coronavirus. Also, when scientists looked at over sixteen hundred samples of blood from Chinese adults taken between 2001 and 2002, they found that 16 people tested positive for the SARS coronavirus.
These findings raise questions about the conventional wisdom about SARS. The prevailing theory has been that SARS emerged from exotic animals and infected people at some point last autumn. Now it appears that the virus may have been circulating for some time. It also suggests that many more people may have been infected with the agent and not gotten the severe symptoms of SARS. In addition, the findings may suggest that other agents might be necessary to help the SARS coronavirus create the severe pathology associated with SARS.
The new findings also might support our suggestion that the complicated respiratory diseases circulating in pigs may be the key to understanding SARS.
