Articles: coronavirus.
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a life-threatening and highly contagious disease caused by the novel SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Immunohistochemical staining for SARS-CoV in the tissue sections of SARS patients is helpful in investigations of the biologic behavior of this virus in human tissue, and to determine the target cells of this virus in different organs. ⋯ SARS-CoV is mainly present in the cytoplasm of type II pneumocytes and can only be detected in the lung tissue during the early stage of the disease. In the patient who had symptoms of diarrhea, SARS-CoV staining was also identified in the mucosal epithelium of the colon.
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The SARS-associated human coronavirus (SARS-HCoV) is a newly described, emerging virus conclusively established as the etiologic agent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This study presents a single-tube RT-PCR assay that can detect with high analytical sensitivity the SARS-HCoV, as well as several other coronaviruses including other known human respiratory coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E). Species identification is provided by sequencing the amplicon, although a rapid screening test by restriction enzyme analysis has proved to be very useful for the analysis of samples obtained during the SARS outbreak in Toronto, Canada.
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Rev. - Off. Int. Epizoot. · Aug 2004
ReviewAnimal coronaviruses: what can they teach us about the severe acute respiratory syndrome?
In 2002, a new coronavirus (CoV) emerged in the People's Republic of China, associated with a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and mortality in humans. The epidemic rapidly spread throughout the world before being contained in 2003, although sporadic cases occurred thereafter in Asia. The virus is thought to be of zoonotic origin from a wild animal reservoir (Himalayan palm civets [Paguma larvata] are suspected), but the definitive host is unknown. ⋯ This review focuses on the comparative pathogenesis of CoV infections, including the factors that accentuate CoV respiratory disease, with emphasis on livestock and poultry. The goal is to provide insights into CoV transmission and disease mechanisms that could potentially be applicable to SARS, highlighting the contributions of veterinary scientists to this area of study. Such examples illustrate the need for communication and collaboration between the veterinary and medical communities to understand and control emerging zoonotic diseases of the 21st Century.
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Multicenter Study
Viral shedding patterns of coronavirus in patients with probable severe acute respiratory syndrome.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is thought to be caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-associated coronavirus. We studied viral shedding of SARS coronavirus to improve diagnosis and infection control. ⋯ Overall, peak viral loads were reached at 12-14 days of illness when patients were probably in hospital care, which would explain why hospital workers were prone to infection. Low rate of viral shedding in the first few days of illness meant that early isolation measures would probably be effective.