The New England Journal of Medicine
e-mail icon  FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |    Advanced Search
Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe
 
Original Article
Published at www.nejm.org March 31, 2003 (10.1056/NEJMoa030666)

A Cluster of Cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Hong Kong
Kenneth W. Tsang, M.D., Pak L. Ho, M.D., Gaik C. Ooi, M.D., Wilson K. Yee, M.D., Teresa Wang, M.D., Moira Chan-Yeung, M.D., Wah K. Lam, M.D., Wing H. Seto, M.D., Loretta Y. Yam, M.D., Thomas M. Cheung, M.D., Pung C. Wong, M.D., Bing Lam, M.D., Mary S. Ip, M.D., Jane Chan, M.D., Kwok Y. Yuen, M.D., and Kar N. Lai, M.D., D.Sc.

 Sign up for free e-toc
 

This Article
- PDF

Tools and Services
-Add to Personal Archive
-Add to Citation Manager
-Notify a Friend
-E-mail When Cited

More Information
-PubMed Citation
ABSTRACT

Background Information on the clinical features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) will be of value to physicians caring for patients suspected of having this disorder.

Methods We abstracted the clinical presentation and course of disease in 10 epidemiologically linked Chinese patients (5 men and 5 women 38 to 72 years old) in whom SARS was diagnosed between February 22, 2003, and March 22, 2003, at our hospitals in Hong Kong, China.

Results Exposure between the source patient and subsequent patients ranged from minimal to that between patient and health care provider. The incubation period ranged from 2 to 11 days. All patients presented with fever (temperature, >38°C for over 24 hours), and most presented with rigor, dry cough, dyspnea, malaise, headache, and hypoxemia. Physical examination of the chest revealed crackles and percussion dullness. Lymphopenia was observed in nine patients, and most patients had mildly elevated aminotransferase levels but normal serum creatinine levels. Serial chest radiographs showed progressive air-space disease. Two patients died of progressive respiratory failure; histologic analysis of their lungs showed diffuse alveolar damage. There was no evidence of infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, or Legionella pneumophila. All patients received corticosteroid and ribavirin therapy a mean (±SD) of 9.6±5.42 days after the onset of symptoms, and eight were treated earlier with a combination of beta-lactams and macrolide for 4±1.9 days, with no clinical or radiological efficacy.

Conclusions SARS appears to be infectious in origin. Fever followed by rapidly progressive respiratory compromise is the key complex of signs and symptoms from which the syndrome derives its name. The microbiologic origins of SARS remain unclear.

Notice: Because of possible public health implications, this article has been published at www.nejm.org on March 31, 2003.

Click on "PDF of this article" for the full text.


This article has been cited by other articles:



HOME  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  SEARCH  |  CURRENT ISSUE  |  PAST ISSUES  |  COLLECTIONS  |  PRIVACY  |  HELP  |  beta.nejm.org

Comments and questions? Please contact us.

The New England Journal of Medicine is owned, published, and copyrighted © 2008 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.