Microbiologist: SARS now attacking intestines

The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH.com.au) ^ | April 23, 2003 | DPA

[EternalHope]

Microbiologist: SARS now attacking intestines

April 23 2003

The deadly SARS virus is now attacking the intestines as well as the respiratory system, a leading Hong Kong microbiologist said yesterday.

Speaking on Hong Kong radio station RTHK, Professor Malik Peiris of Hong Kong University said the change might indicate the virus had mutated, as many experts feared.

Professor Peiris is one of the microbiologists at the forefront of the Hong Kong research into the SARS virus, which killed another five people in the territory yesterday, bringing the total number of deaths to 99.

His comments come amid growing concern that the virus is becoming more virulent, with many doctors noting changes in the way the disease behaves and whom it kills.

A number of deaths over the past week have occurred in younger, previously healthy people - one being a 34-year-old pregnant women.

An increasing number of those infected with SARS are now suffering from diarrhoea. As many of two thirds of the residents who contracted SARS in the outbreak at the Amoy Gardens high-rise had diarrhoea, according to health officials.

Tom Buckley, the head of the intensive care unit at Hong Kong's Princess Margaret Hospital, said organ failure was also now becoming more common.

"Initially patients were presenting with just respiratory failure," Dr Buckley said. "Now we're seeing renal failure and other organ failure."

Hong Kong recorded 32 new infections yesterday - 10 more than Monday - taking the total to 1434. The latest deaths were all of people over the age 65, with four having an history of chronic illness.

Announcing the latest figures, health secretary E K Yeoh said he believed SARS would not go away and the Government had to concentrate on controlling it.

"We do not anticipate that it will be eradicated completely because this virus is highly infectious," he said. "So our primary task is to reduce the size of the viral load in the community and prevent outbreaks."

DPA

This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/22/1050777263907.html

[InvisibleChurch]

I expect this to be dealt with by the time I go to Blockbuster this weekend.

[Trust but Verify]

Drink black or green tea. 5 cups a day will do it. My family is living proof. We are tea drinkers and do not fall ill when everyone around us does.

[shadowman99]

While this is more unfortunate for those who get sick, it is better for the human race in this way:

In the book "The Hot Zone", Robert Preston makes the point that "Ebola does in ten days what it takes HIV ten years to accomplish" - but - The virus has a hard time spreading because the victims usually die before contact with numerous people.

Think of a virus as a wildfire - the hotter and faster it burns, the more likely it is to burn itself out.

HIV is a very "successful" virus because of the slower pace at which it attacks the host. A man or woman could be HIV+ for some time without knowing, and spreading the virus during this period.

In contrast, this virus seems to present itself quickly, killing it's host faster, immobilizing them sooner, and is therefore reducing it's full potential for the number of people that could be infected.

Another threat posed by a virus or disease is when it has killed all of it's infected victims without yet giving up it's secrets. Where did it come from? How is it spread? How can it be treated or cured? It remains a threat that could return at any time.

[aristeides]

Cunning virus eludes attempts at a quick cure: Its ability to mutate slows development of effective vaccine.

[InShanghai]

I am unaware of any literature on the environmental stability of human coronaviruses, but rat coronavirus, which causes a pneumonia in rats, when dried on plastic and then rehydrated 48 hours later is still viable. The decrease in viral titer is 1000-fold after 24 hours and 10 000-fold after 48 hours (Laboratory Animal Science 43: 403-4).

There was an article or a link somewhere on FR that referred to the similarities between a RAT virus and SARS. I've been looking all day for this article/link but haven't found it yet. Does anyone recall that thread?

[OWK]

Drink black or green tea. 5 cups a day will do it. My family is living proof. We are tea drinkers and do not fall ill when everyone around us does.

The Chinese are the biggest consumers of black and green tea in the world.

[Malsua]

Drink black or green tea. 5 cups a day will do it. My family is living proof. We are tea drinkers and do not fall ill when everyone around us does.


The Chinese are among the worlds top consumers of tea...doesn't seem to be helping them so much.

[aristeides]

I think it was cathy ryan who reported that the genome of the new coronavirus is similar to that of SDA Virus in rats.

[j_williamsii]

The findings in the Netherlands don't support the belief that the virus is man-made:

"But, the virus nonetheless is 'something that is new to science,' university microbiologist Malik Peiris said before the WHO findings were announced.

Asked about the possibility that the virus was man-made, Peiris said there was no chance of that.

'That whole genome is essentially new,' he said. 'Nature has been the terrorist throwing up this virus.'"

[tictoc]

Perhaps they are now, as the Chinese have become more prosperous.

But ten years ago, when a good friend of mine was working in China, he saw many people drinking hot water because they could not afford tea.

[The Pheonix]

All these years that we, Mankind, has been using anti-biotics on poultry, pigs, etc, and these anti-biotics has created "anti-biotics-resistant" viruses. You see, some farm workers might have administered the wrong dosages of anti-biotics either thru ignorance, carelessness or negligence.This SARS is the VIRUS-WORLD fighting back. AS another example, a poultry-farm in Holland is reporting 3 cases of bird-flu virus with one death

[Prince Charles]

The deadly SARS virus is now attacking the intestines as well as the respiratory system, a leading Hong Kong microbiologist said yesterday.

I'd say this is why diarrhea was indicated in some SARS patients.

[Stentor]

Ho-hum. Another day, another media-frenzy induced crisiz.

Yup.

[Prince Charles]

"Initially patients were presenting with just respiratory failure," Dr Buckley said. "Now we're seeing renal failure and other organ failure."

If this thing gets out of hand it will decimate whole populations.

[Lockbar]

This is just great, I already have irritable bowel syndrome. Time for both tin foil hats and tin foil underpants! This is going to get hugh and series.

[Black Agnes]

Antibiotics don't do anything to viruses. I hope this was sarcasm?

[KansasConservative1]

"created "anti-biotics-resistant" viruses. "

It is my understanding that Antibiotics have no effect on viruses anyway. Hence, you cannot cure the common cold with a Z-Pack.

[aristeides]

Do you have that link about SARS attacking major organs, including the nervous system?

[InShanghai]

Thanks for the link. It's not the same one I was thinking of but it got me going in the right direction. Surprising similarities in the clinical analysis:

Clinical disease caused by this agent alone is self-limiting and is highly infectious, causing most or all of the colony to show signs of disease with very few deaths resulting. But, if it is exacerbated by any other virus or bacterial infection, which, unfortunately in our pet population, most often is, the mortality rate changes significantly.

I could never understand why anyone would want a rat as a pet.