New findings indicate feces may be important method of spreading SARS

AP - Canadian Press - canada.com ^ | May 04, 2003 | EMMA ROSS

[CathyRyan]

LONDON (AP) - New scientific findings indicate that feces may be a more important method of spreading the SARS virus than originally thought, the World Health Organization said Sunday.

Although coughing and sneezing remain the chief means of spreading the infection, research conducted by government scientists in Hong Kong has found that the virus can stay alive for at least four days in diarrhea.

The research adds weight to the theory that leaky sewage pipes could have been a source of infection in a particularly nasty outbreak at a Hong Kong apartment complex, where more than 300 people became ill.

Dr. Klaus Stohr, the WHO's chief SARS scientist, said diarrhea provides a more favourable environment for the virus as the stool in that condition is less acidic.

Although only about 10 per cent of people stricken with severe acute respiratory syndrome get diarrhea, the rate among patients infected in the Amoy Gardens apartment complex was 60 per cent.

"The most exciting, or perhaps disturbing, finding is that the virus stays alive in feces for as long as four days at room temperatures. That finding is the most disturbing one because it would suggest that fecal-oral transmission could take place," said Stohr, who was not directly involved in the research but co-ordinates the work of labs around the world investigating the SARS virus.

In another experiment reported by Stohr Sunday, Hong Kong University scientists confirmed that common disinfectants can kill the virus in five minutes.

"The good news from these findings is that the virus can be relatively easily killed with common disinfectants," he said. The Hong Kong scientists found that formaldehyde, ethanol and acetone, three common disinfectants, kill the virus.

Disinfecting toilets in hospitals and homes where people have had contact with SARS would likely solve the problem, he said.

Stohr said that in an ongoing study, Japanese researchers had found that the SARS virus had so far stayed alive for four days in cells on plastic surfaces at a temperature of four degrees C.

"This is fridge temperature, so if someone touches something with a SARS contaminated hand, it would stay for four days on something in the fridge," Stohr said.

The virus was also tested at -80 C for four days and it was unaffected. But this was no surprise, Stohr said, because many viruses survive easily in cold temperatures.

It was already clear that the SARS virus can survive winter. The outbreak began in November in China and survived the winter there to spread farther afield in the spring.

[CathyRyan]

PING

[John Beresford Tipton]

No $hit, Sherlock!

[thegreatbeast]

Waddaya make of that, Dr. Ryan?

[07055]

Think of San Francisco---where defecating on the streets is considered a "civil right" and a form of protest.

[aristeides]

Dr. Klaus Stohr, the WHO's chief SARS scientist, said diarrhea provides a more favourable environment for the virus as the stool in that condition is less acidic.

Is there something you can take that will render your stools more acidic?

For that matter, is there some way to render your whole body more acidic? If so, that might be a way to prevent the disease from taking hold.

Notice, Judith Anne, that ethanol (i.e., alcohol) does indeed kill the virus.

[templar]

New scientific findings indicate that feces may be a more important method of spreading the SARS virus than originally thought,...

This could be very bad news for a certain happy, healthy, and normal behavioral sub-culture.

[ex-snook]

Guess it's not safe to listen to Bill Kristol.

[Genesis defender]

What a crappy way to catch the disease.

[Scenic Sounds]

You were right again.

When am I gonna ever learn?

[Amelia]

"The most exciting, or perhaps disturbing, finding is that the virus stays alive in feces for as long as four days at room temperatures....The good news from these findings is that the virus can be relatively easily killed with common disinfectants," he said.

Here's good news, you can leave the toilets in the house, just get some Lysol.

[SauronOfMordor]

That finding is the most disturbing one because it would suggest that fecal-oral transmission could take place This could be even worse news for a certain happy, healthy, and normal behavioral sub-culture.

[putupon]

Reminds me of the old cliche', "Eat $#!+ and die".

[Scenic Sounds]

Here's good news, you can leave the toilets in the house, just get some Lysol.

Hope you've got a back-up plan, Amelia.

Bluebelle's allergic to Lysol.

[neither-nor]

In a related story, WHO has decreed constipation as its frontline measure for combating SARS.

Now everyone's really gonna be full of $hit.

[F16Fighter]

"The most exciting, or perhaps disturbing, finding is that the virus stays alive in feces for as long as four days at room temperatures. That finding is the most disturbing one because it would suggest that fecal-oral transmission could take place," said Stohr...

a.) Exactly which "finding" was "exciting" for Stohr?

b.) Does Stohr reside in San Francisco?

[07055]

That finding is the most disturbing one because it would suggest that fecal-oral transmission could take place," said Stohr...

This could put a crimp in X-42's style...

[Bigg Red]

For that matter, is there some way to render your whole body more acidic?

I am not a doctor, but I know that your body needs to be within a certain pH range. For most living organisms that is between 5.6 and 6.5 (on the acid side, with 7 being neutral). You would not want to tinker too much with this factor.

I think that the article speaks volumes for prevention in the form of better personal hygiene, something many have gotten away from. People need to wash their hands after going to the bathroom. And one should never eat with unwashed hands.

[Bigg Red]

...fecal-oral transmission ...

I think the doctor is talking about people not washing their hands after going to the bathroom and then eating with those unwashed hands.

[F16Fighter]

"...fecal-oral transmission could take place..."

Has Bill O'Reilly or anyone suggested that Monica AND Bubba cigar "action" might make them possible carriers of the SARS epidemic??

The CDC ought to look into this...