Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
To stay abreast of the latest information, monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health organization (WHO) websites:
Surveillance/Assessment
Clinical Criteria:
- Asymptomatic or mild respiratory illness
- Moderate
respiratory illness of:
- Temperature> 100.4F
(38C) and one or more of the following:
- Cough,
- Shortness of breath,
- Difficulty breathing, or
- Hypoxia
- Temperature> 100.4F
(38C) and one or more of the following:
- Severe
respiratory illness of:
- All symptoms of
moderate illness as described above and:
- X-ray evidence of pneumonia or
- Respiratory distress syndrome, or
- Autopsy findings consistent with pneumonia or
- RDS without an identifiable cause.
- All symptoms of
moderate illness as described above and:
Epidemiological Criteria:
Travel (including transit in an airport) within 10 days of onset of symptoms to an area with current, previously documented or suspected community transmission of SARS, or Close contact within 10 days of onset of symptoms with a person known or suspected to have SARS infection.
Laboratory Criteria:
Confirmed:
Detection of antibody to SARS-CoV in specimens obtained during acute illness or >21 days after illness onset, or
Detection of SARS-CoV RNA by RT-PCR confirmed by a second PCR assay, by using a second aliquot of the specimen and a different set of PCR primers, or
Isolation of SARS-CoV.
Negative:
Absence of antibody to SARS-CoV in covalenscent serum obtained >21 days after symptom onset.
Undetermined:
Laboratory testing either not performed or incomplete.
Case Classification:
-
Probable Case meets the clinical criteria for severe respiratory illness of unknown etiology and epidemiologic criteria for exposure; laboratory criteria confirmed, negative, or undetermined.
Prevention/Education
Email contact: sars@cns.ufl.edu
The CDC continues to recommend that US Travelers observe precautions to safeguard their health. To minimize the possibility of infection, follow these recommendations:
- The first line of defense is GOOD HANDWASHING with soap and water.
- Alcohol based hand rubs can be used as an alternative.
- Avoid crowds and close contact with large numbers of people.
- CDC does not recommend the use of masks or other personal protective equipment while in public areas for countries experiencing a Travel Alert
- Stay informed of SARS and check the CDC and WHO web sites regularly.
- Avoid open food markets, civets (wild cat-like animal from China), and other wild animals in and around these open markets.
For further information, view the Question & Answer documents prepared specifically for Students, Parents & Staff. If you are returning from or arriving from a SARS infected area OR you are planning travel to a SARS infected area, follow further precautions.
Surge Capacity/Pandemic Response
View UF Guidelines in the event of a SARS outbreak.
View SHCC internal procedures in the event of a SARS outbreak.
