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Running head: INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH PAPER

Infectious Disease Research Paper: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS – 2002-2003)
Name
Course
University
March X, 2021

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Coronaviruses are RNA viruses that have become a significant public health concern by
sparking multiple outbreaks within the past two decades. These viruses can cause diseases in
both humans and animals (such as bats, cats, and cows) and often will evolve from an animal to a
human in the infectious transmission cycle (Luk et al., 2019). Depending on the virus, the
resulting infection can be highly transmissible, more deadly, and/or more difficult to treat.
Because there are many different types of coronaviruses, there are more unique infections as a
result (such as MERS, SARS, 229E, and OC43) (de Wit et al., 2016). Since viruses are difficult
to treat by nature, the likelihood of a mutated and/or reoccurrence of a previous coronaviruscaused infectious disease is highly probable (Luk et al., 2019). Therefore, it is highly important
to analyze and interpret previous outbreaks of such infectious diseases to determine what future
actions can be done to prevent widespread and harmful reoccurrences. The following analysis
will explore aspects of a particular infectious disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome 20022003 (SARS – 2002-2003) and evaluate factors such as the signs and symptoms of the disease,
methods to help prevent similar occurrences, overall threats caused by antibiotic resistance, and
the relationship between the role of the public health and the disease.
The SARS – 2002-2003 Infectious Disease
Beginning in 2002, the zoonotic outbreaks caused by a coronavirus have continuously
caused widespread panic amongst nations due to the often-severe symptoms and absence of an
effective vaccine or medication best suitable for the illness. In 2002, a bat carrying a particular
coronavirus managed to infect a human with a particular virus by some means. This was
ultimately the emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)
(Luk et al., 2019). SARS, or SARS – 2002-2003, surfaced in southern China in November 2002
and quickly spread to, and affected, over twenty-four countries in North American, South
America, Asia, and Europe through July 2003 (de Wit et al., 2016). This outbreak of the SARSCoV was the original coronavirus-based example of the panic that took place amongst nations
due to the lack of research on such coronavirus-caused illnesses. Because this particular virus
was newly discovered, there was a significant lack of research surrounding how the virus spread,
how the virus attacks the body, the symptoms caused by the virus, and a vaccine for the virus
(Luk et al., 2019). For example, it was not initially known how transmissible or deadly the
disease was (de Wit et al., 2016). Ultimately this was highly consequential for global health as
there were over eight-thousand confirmed cases and nearly eight-hundred deaths due to the virus
(Luk et al., 2019). While there have been similar coronavirus-caused outbreaks to the present
day, there have not been any additional outbreaks caused by SARS-CoV (de Wit et al., 2016).
Rather, there is merely a handful of reported cases over the years that are predominately in
China. Although there have not been any additional significant outbreaks similar to SARS –
2002-2003, there continues to be a higher likelihood of having a repeated outbreak of the SARSCoV (de Wit et al., 2016). Because of this, it is important to review and analyze all aspects of the
disease and updated infectious disease information to help craft better policies, procedures, and
ideas that can be utilized in the prevention (and possible control) of future SARS – 2002-2003
outbreaks.
Signs and Symptoms of SARS – 2002-2003 and Diagnostic Tests
The SARS – 2002-2003 infectious disease often leads to a respiratory infection following
exposure to the virus. With that, the signs and symptoms of the disease are consistent with those
associated with respiratory infections. The common signs and symptoms include a high fever
(greater than 100.4 °F), chills, headache, body aches, and overall feelings of discomfort. In a
small percentage of patients affected (approximately 10-20 percent), diarrhea is an additional

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symptom experienced (Luk et al., 2019). Additional signs and symptoms include a
nonproductive cough and potentially, if the condition worsens), hypoxia (low blood oxygen
levels) (Luk et al., 2019). SARS – 2002-2003 often causes affected patients to develop
pneumonia, which ultimately causes these individuals to experience the signs and symptoms of
pneumonia as a result (i.e. fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.) (Luk et al., 2019).
While these signs and symptoms are prime indicators of SARS – 2002-2003, they are,
unfortunately, not unique to this infectious disease. Therefore, it is highly important to have
support from a diagnostic test when officially being diagnosed with this infectious disease. There
are three laboratory tests that can help confirm or reject a diagnosis of this disease, which include
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, antibody tests, and cell culture analysis tests (Luk et al.,
2019). The PCR tests are capable of detecting genetic material of SARS-CoV, the antibody tests
are able to detect the IgM and IgG antibodies produced due to the SARS-CoV infection, and the
cell culture analysis tests can determine if there is live SARS-CoV present in inoculated cell
cultures (Luk et al., 2019). Any positive result for any of these tests can serve as support for
confirming a positive SARS – 2002-2003 diagnosis, assuming that the false-positive is unlikely.
Factors that May Have Contributed to the Emergence of SARS – 2002-2003
There are many different factors that may have contributed to the emergence of the SARS
– 2002-2003 infectious disease. One of these factors involves being bitten by bats (de Wit et al.,
2016). In China, there is an abundance of bat species that many citizens may come into contact
with. Bats, which are well-known carriers of viruses, are capable of biting or attack a person and
subsequently, transmit the virus being carried. It is believed that for the SARS – 2002-2003
outbreak, a bat bite was the initial factor that caused the emergence of this disease (de Wit et al.,
2016). A second factor that is believed to have contributed was the lack of providing adequate
information to the public (de Wit et al., 2016). With SARS – 2002-2003 being a respiratory
illness, it was known that it could be transmitted through respiratory droplets. However, at the
time of the outbreak, drastic measures commonly seen today to inform the public of the best
measures to prevent the continuous transmission of the infectious disease were not taken (Luk et
al., 2019). Ultimately, it is believed this played a potential role in the significant emergence of
the infectious disease, given that many individuals were not executing proper measures to help in
the prevention of transmitting virus-containing respiratory droplets (de Wit et al., 2016). A third
and final factor that may have contributed to the emergence of this infectious disease is the
weather (de Wit et al., 2016). It is highly probable that the weather promoted higher rates of
daily incidence and therefore played a prominent role in the forthcoming of the disease. For
example, during the outbreak, days with lower temperatures had higher daily incidence rates,
while days with higher temperatures had lower daily incidence rates (de Wit et al., 2016). It is
believed, therefore, that weather may have potentially increased the transmission of the disease
and subsequently, promoted the emergence of the disease as well (de Wit et al., 2016). Together,
these factors have collectively, and potentially, contributed to the emergence of the SARS –
2002-2003 infectious disease.
How to Prevent Similar Occurrences
With SARS – 2002-2003 being caused by SARS-CoV (a coronavirus) it is highly
unlikely that this virus (and subsequent disease) can be completely rid of (Luk et al., 2019).
Between viruses frequently undergoing genetic mutations as well as the fact that viruses affect
host cells in the human body, it is highly difficult to treat viruses with a cocktail that completely
eradicates them (de Wit et al., 2016). Because of this, it is important to take measures to help
prevent similar reoccurrences, especially with those diseases (such as SARS – 2002-2003) that

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are highly infectious and potentially damaging to the body. In Healthy People 2020, the federal
government’s agenda for disease prevention, one of the overarching goals is to improve the
overall public health of the nation and strengthen strategies related to global disease detection,
response, prevention, and control (Global Health, n.d.). The first cases of the SARS – 2002-2003
were reported in China, yet the nations with recorded cases quickly increased as the disease
continued to spread. Because the United States was not the first nation affected, theoretically, the
country had more ample time than others to prepare a response effective in preventing and
controlling the disease, before the disease inevitably began to infect American citizens. While
the United States was not as widely affected by the virus compared to other countries, any
mutation of the SARS-CoV has the potential to be damaging (de Wit et al., 2016). Therefore,
from this experience, it is highly important to strengthen the strategies associated with global
disease, including detection, response, and prevention strategies (Global Health, n.d). With these
strategies and goals outlined in Healthy People 2020, it is ideally expected that potential future
reoccurrences of the SARS – 2002-2003 disease are more ...