|
Servere Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a virulent pneumonia-like illness that made a sudden appearance in February 2003, originating in southern China. Air travel and global business have spread handfuls of cases throughout the world, and the disease, caused by a newly emerged coronavirus, has the potential to create a global pandemic. The disease does not respond to any current medications, and so far the mortality rate is approximately 6%. Yet SARS is just one of several emerging diseases that threaten the United States. Some others are West Nile emcephalitis, E. coli O157H7, cryptosporidiosis (crypto), coccidioidomycosis, vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infections (VRE), various influenza strains, and hantavirus, plus multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. It is essential for healthcare professionals and the public to work together to combat the spread of these emerging diseases.
|