Posted on 07/25/2003 2:44:07 PM PDT by blam
Hong Kong fears possible SARS comeback
14:29 25 July 03
NewScientist.com news service
Eighteen people linked to a Hong Kong psychiatric institution have been hospitalised with respiratory symptoms and are being tested for the deadly SARS virus.
All have tested positive for influenza A, but this has not calmed fears that SARS - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - could be making a comeback. Hong Kong medical experts are saying extensive tests are needed for accurate diagnoses.
"It will take another two to three days at least for the results of comprehensive tests to be out," a Hong Kong health department spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday. "Influenza peaks in July and August here. These cases could be influenza."
Preliminary SARS tests on the patients, admitted to hospital between Sunday and Thursday, were negative. But Hong Kong microbiologists say these are not entirely reliable.
The 18 patients were taken ill with coughs and fever at a psychiatric institution. Sixteen were patients, one was a staff member and one a relative.
Bad luck
Experts in the UK contacted by New Scientist say that although it is possible the patients might have both flu and SARS, it is unlikely.
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"It's theoretically possible, but it would be hopelessly bad luck to have caught both influenza and SARS at the same time," says John Oxford, a virologist at Queen Mary, University of London. "I would be surprised if they had both."
Robert Booy, an infectious diseases expert also at Queen Mary, agrees that "co-infection is possible". But he says doctors will approach the cases with the idea that the simplest explanation - flu - is the most likely. But, as a general rule he says, five to 10 per cent of people who become unwell do have a co-infection.
SARS emerged in China's Guangdong province in November 2002, before rampaging across the world. It infected more than 8400 people and caused over 800 deaths in about 30 different countries.
Hong Kong - with over 1750 cases and 298 deaths - was the second worst hit country after China. It was removed from the World Health Organization list of affected areas in June.
Shaoni Bhattacharya
Yes, I didn't know they were in their flu season.
"Robert Booy, an infectious diseases expert also at Queen Mary, agrees that "co-infection is possible". "
We had a horse recently die (In the Mobile area) and the autopsy showed he died of both EEE and WND.
Katherine Maria
Hong Kong
25 Jul 2003, 12:10 UTC
Initial tests show that 16 mental patients isolated in a Hong Kong hospital with respiratory tract infections do not have the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus. A girl was isolated in a Taiwan hospital as a possible SARS case has also tested negative.
Hong Kong breathed a sign of relief after 16 patients with SARS-like symptoms turned out instead to be suffering from influenza A.
The 16, mostly patients and staff from the Salvation Army Mental Institute, were isolated Thursday with respiratory tract infections raising fears that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome had re-emerged. A girl in Taiwan also was isolated after returning from Shanghai with a higher fever and cough. Tests later showed she was free of SARS.
World Health Organization(WHO)Geneva based spokesman Dick Thompson says that while the news is good, further tests are needed to completely rule out the possible return of SARS.
"Does it mean that they do not have SARS? It would mean that it would be highly unlikely, there is certainly the possibility of co-infections, so there needs to be a bit more continuing investigation," said Mr. Thompson.
The WHO says post-mortem tests will be conducted on a Philippine woman who died Wednesday in Manila after returning from Hong Kong. The woman had apparently been in and out of hospitals with suspected pneumonia.
The U.N. agency says it is also gathering information on a German citizen in a Philippine hospital with SARS-like symptoms.
The reports of possible SARS cases, says Mr. Thompson, is a welcome sign that Asia's health care systems continue on high alert.
"While none of these cases have actually proven to be SARS we find it reassuring that we do get these reports right away. What it means is that there is a very high level of vigilance that continues in the surveillance system," he said.
SARS emerged from southern China late last year, infecting nearly 8,500 people in more than 20 countries. About 800 patients died from the disease.
While scientists have learned a great deal about the virus that causes SARS, including its DNA fingerprint, they still do not know if the virus could make a seasonal comeback. Many respiratory diseases appear when weather turns cooler.
SARS outbreaks in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and parts of China, were brought under control by massive quarantines and public hygiene campaigns.
Should have been WNV = West Nile Virus.
Thanks, it's gone up by four. The small dog had 4 puppies last week. (I'll give them away though, four is/are enough.)
The both pee on themselves?
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