 More World Headlines |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||
|
Posted on 05/17/2003 11:34:33 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Press Trust of India
Beijing, May 17: Scientists in China have claimed to have discovered Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) antibodies that may one day help immunise people against the killer epidemic, a report said on Saturday.
“Two kinds of antibodies were discovered in SARS patients by a medical team working in South China's Guangdong province where the disease first surfaced in November last year", said a Chinese daily.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"IGG is very much like a protective antibody and every SARS patient has it when they recuperate," Li Gang, a medical researcher with the No 3 hospital of Zhangshan University in Guangdong's capital, Guangzhou said.
Like the antibody against hepatitis a, the protective IGG is very likely to make SARS patients immune to the disease in future, he said, while predicting that vaccines would be developed using the antibody to immunise people against SARS.
He also suggested that medical staff in close contact with SARS patients can improve their immunity by injecting IGG abstracted from the serum of recovering SARS patients.
The medical team started its research on February 2, testing the serum of 21 SARS patients. They could not find the antibody in the blood serum of people who had been infected by SARS for a week or less, the report said.
But IGM was detected during the second week of infection disappearing 90 days after the patients were infected with the virus. Similarly, IGG appears two weeks after catching the disease. With all patients registering the antibody after recovery.
They'd be best able to do this since they developed SARS as a weapon.
This is no different than the Soviets losing control of Anthrax and killing and polluting an entire town during the 1970s.
This was the photo accompanying the article of their "Anti-Body". The Chinese may have a ways to go just yet, so don't hold your breath. Their next medical breakthrough may be along the lines of "Washing your hands is good Hygiene" or something like that.
Sorry, can't help but be skeptical. I mean, it's the Chinese. I'd sooner trust a... rat? Nah, but still, it's the Chinese... Now they're the only country that's launched a Biological Attack on themselves (I believe the Russians already beat them to launching a Chem attack on themselves.)
Actually, they haven't done anything at all. It's been known from almost the very beginning that SARS generates an antibody in the IgM class. We can detect the specific antibody, too. The problem is that we can't detect the antibody early in the course of the disease. A person must be symptomatic for days before our current tests can confirm a diagnosis.
A very similar article, based on the same Chicom press release, was posted previously here: Chinese claim breakthrough (my title)
I posted some info in post #10 on that thread if you want more details about why this Chinese announcement means nothing.
They'd be best able to do this since they developed SARS as a weapon.
Something is suspicious about SARS.
http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_1965281,00.html
states: The DeSoto County resident, who recently returned from Hong Kong, is listed as a probable case. That means along with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, a cough, shortness of breath and breathing problems he had either a diagnosis of pneumonia or had severe breathing problems.
The Shelby County resident, who traveled to Toronto, is listed as a suspect case. That means he has a fever and less severe breathing problems. He is the first Tennessee resident listed as either a probable or suspect case.
Results of blood tests to check for evidence of viral infection will take at least six weeks. Currently a SARS diagnosis is based primarily on a patient's symptoms and possible exposure to the disease through travel or personal contact with a patient.
I don't think the Chinese tests are any faster or better than US tests, frankly. So I don't believe very much that China says about their SARS problem is true.
On the other hand, I'm heartened by the fact that at least one of the US suspected/probable cases called his doctor and the ER was alerted before the patient showed up there, so the ER crew had a chance to take precautions.
Their bio-labs must have had an early start on the problem.
5.56mm
By Mary Powers
powers@gomemphis.com
May 16, 2003
Two Mid-South men were quarantined at home Thursday with the high fever, cough and other symptoms that prompted public health officials to suspect the atypical pneumonia dubbed SARS.
The men - residents of Shelby and DeSoto counties - developed symptoms within 10 days of returning from Toronto and Hong Kong, both hot spots of severe acute respiratory syndrome, state health officials said.
Tennessee and Mississippi health officials said the men pose little risk to the general public. They declined to identify the patients.
"SARS is not transmitted by walking by someone. It takes contact like getting sneezed on or coughed on or eating something someone else has taken a bite of" to spread the disease, said Dr. Mary Currier, Mississippi state health department epidemiologist.
SARS is caused by a virus related to the common cold virus. It surfaced in China in November and has since infected more than 7,600 people worldwide. At least 602 have died.
In the United States, there have been 281 suspected and 64 probable cases. No one has died.
Dr. Tim Jones, Tennessee deputy state epidemiologist, said the U.S. cases have all been linked to international travel or close contact with a SARS patient.
Neither Mid-South patient has been hospitalized. Both cases were diagnosed Thursday. They were told to stay home and restrict contact until 10 days after their fever and respiratory symptoms are gone.
The DeSoto County resident, who recently returned from Hong Kong, is listed as a probable case. That means along with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, a cough, shortness of breath and breathing problems he had either a diagnosis of pneumonia or had severe breathing problems.
The Shelby County resident, who traveled to Toronto, is listed as a suspect case. That means he has a fever and less severe breathing problems. He is the first Tennessee resident listed as either a probable or suspect case.
Results of blood tests to check for evidence of viral infection will take at least six weeks. Currently a SARS diagnosis is based primarily on a patient's symptoms and possible exposure to the disease through travel or personal contact with a patient.
"We fully expect that the huge majority of people in the United States that are currently classified as suspect cases will turn out not to be cases. We are consciously erring on the side of caution," Jones said.
The DeSoto County man is the second Mississippi resident listed as a probable SARS patient. But Currier said laboratory tests found no evidence of the SARS virus in the earlier patient. Another Mississippi resident is listed as a suspect case. Both patients have recovered.
There is no vaccine or medicine proven effective against SARS. Federal health officials currently recommend SARS patients receive the same care given to patients with certain forms of serious pneumonia.
Jennifer Ward, a local Health Department epidemiologist, said a health worker will call the patients twice daily to ask about symptoms and confirm they are at home.
Both patients are cooperating. But Ward said: "The CDC is very strict about this kind of thing. There are laws that allow us to enforce this isolation."
Jones said the patients are advised to wear surgical masks whenever they have contact with anyone. Family members are advised to wear gloves when cleaning up after a patient.
Family members as well as health providers who cared for the patients will be monitored for fever or respiratory symptoms for the next 10 days. But health officials said they aren't being told to stay home.
Jones said both patients apparently heeded the advice all travelers now receive when returning to the United States from nations hit hard by SARS. They are advised to call a health provider if they develop a fever and cough within 10 days of returning.
Jones said the providers quickly called public health officials and also took steps to protect staff and other patients.
Jones said the Shelby County hospital that treated the DeSoto County resident in its emergency department was alerted to expect the patient.
The precautions taken included gloves, special filter masks, gowns and eye protection. When an infectious disease is suspected, the patient is placed in an examining room with an independent air-circulation system.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
