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Original Article
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Volume 348:1995-2005 May 15, 2003 Number 20
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Identification of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Canada
Susan M. Poutanen, M.D., M.P.H., Donald E. Low, M.D., Bonnie Henry, M.D., Sandy Finkelstein, M.D., David Rose, M.D., Karen Green, R.N., Raymond Tellier, M.D., Ryan Draker, B.Sc., Dena Adachi, M.Sc., Melissa Ayers, B.Sc., Adrienne K. Chan, M.D., Danuta M. Skowronski, M.D., M.H.Sc., Irving Salit, M.D., Andrew E. Simor, M.D., Arthur S. Slutsky, M.D., Patrick W. Doyle, M.D., M.H.Sc., Mel Krajden, M.D., Martin Petric, Ph.D., Robert C. Brunham, M.D., Allison J. McGeer, M.D., for the National Microbiology Laboratory, Canada, and the Canadian Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Study Team

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ABSTRACT

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a condition of unknown cause that has recently been recognized in patients in Asia, North America, and Europe. This report summarizes the initial epidemiologic findings, clinical description, and diagnostic findings that followed the identification of SARS in Canada.

Methods SARS was first identified in Canada in early March 2003. We collected epidemiologic, clinical, and diagnostic data from each of the first 10 cases prospectively as they were identified. Specimens from all cases were sent to local, provincial, national, and international laboratories for studies to identify an etiologic agent.

Results The patients ranged from 24 to 78 years old; 60 percent were men. Transmission occurred only after close contact. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (in 100 percent of cases) and malaise (in 70 percent), followed by nonproductive cough (in 100 percent) and dyspnea (in 80 percent) associated with infiltrates on chest radiography (in 100 percent). Lymphopenia (in 89 percent of those for whom data were available), elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels (in 80 percent), elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels (in 78 percent), and elevated creatinine kinase levels (in 56 percent) were common. Empirical therapy most commonly included antibiotics, oseltamivir, and intravenous ribavirin. Mechanical ventilation was required in five patients. Three patients died, and five have had clinical improvement. The results of laboratory investigations were negative or not clinically significant except for the amplification of human metapneumovirus from respiratory specimens from five of nine patients and the isolation and amplification of a novel coronavirus from five of nine patients. In four cases both pathogens were isolated.

Conclusions SARS is a condition associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. It appears to be of viral origin, with patterns suggesting droplet or contact transmission. The role of human metapneumovirus, a novel coronavirus, or both requires further investigation.


Source Information

From the Toronto Medical Laboratories and Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Microbiology, Toronto (S.M.P., D.E.L., K.G., A.J.M.); the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (S.M.P., D.E.L., R.T., A.E.S., A.J.M.), Department of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases (D.E.L., A.K.C., I.S., A.E.S., A.J.M.), and Department of Medicine and Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care (A.S.S.), University of Toronto, Toronto; the City of Toronto Public Health Department (B.H.); Scarborough Hospital, Toronto (S.F., D.R.); the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (R.T., R.D., D.A., M.A.); Epidemiology Services (D.M.S.) and Laboratory Services (M.K., M.P.), British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver; University Health Network, Toronto (I.S.); Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto (A.E.S.); St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto (A.S.S.); the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre and University of British Columbia, Vancouver (P.W.D.); and the University of British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver (R.C.B.) — all in Canada.

This article was published at www.nejm.org on March 31, 2003.

Address reprint requests to Dr. McGeer at the Toronto Medical Laboratories and Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Microbiology, 600 University Ave., Rm. 1460, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.

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Related Letters:

Pseudo-SARS
Johnson S., Patel M., Mullane K., Tsang K. W., Ho P. L., Low D. E.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2003; 349:709-711, Aug 14, 2003. Correspondence

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