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

[FITZ]

"anti-biotics-resistant" viruses

Antibiotics don't work on viruses anyhow ---they're only good against bacteria.

[FITZ]

Maybe we've become "too-clean", we limit exposure to common colds and flus, we prevent our immune systems from having a rich mixture of antibodies to many viruses and bacterias ----which I think give you some cross-immunity, even if not complete if you've been exposed to one form of a virus, it can mutate and you'll have a mild illness because you have some less-specific antibodies to protect you while you make more specific ones.

[FITZ]

Fluid builds up in body cavities, both thoracic and abdomen.

It seems like bed-rest would be bad then ---I'll follow my grandfather's advice ---when he had a bad pneumonia in his 70's he insisted on going to work and sleeping sitting upright in his chair at night. He said laying down was the worst thing to do because the fluids don't drain and your lungs fill up and you die ---working and getting out moving around also help you clear the fluid build up. He didn't miss a day of work and he quickly recovered.

[Geezerette]

LOL! Ya, that's the story I had in mind when I stopped taking SeaSilver. One bottle was enough!

Thanks for the confirmation!

g

[Geezerette]

My WebTV cannot open your link.

Was it pro or con Oil of Oregano?

I would be surprised if it was against!

g

[Not Insane]

It was sort of neutral. It leaned con if you are one of those who thinks oil of oregano is a panacea. It was pro if you think it's snake oil.

It basically said that those who are hawking it as this incredible miracle cure are paid by the same people who produce it. But it also said it has some positive qualities, some of which are still being researched.

What's webtv?

[Yaelle]

I saw a woman who is permanently silvery gray in color from taking that stuff (colloidal silver). I would be VERRRY careful. It was a strange sight.

[John Frum]

You can still get sick while you drink tea, I never said it would prevent getting sick. The point being that it boosts immune function, it scavenges free-radicals (compounds which cause deterioriation within the body) and improves lipid blood chemistry. Odds are if you have been drinking tea for some time, then just imagine if you hadn't been drinking it - the sickness you describe would have been even worse!!

Remember, I only said that you should not understimate the amazing power of the T (Tea).

[John Frum]

(Because I screwed up the 'to:' field I am reposting sorry for the repeat :-)

You can still get sick while you drink tea, I never said it would prevent getting sick. The point being that it boosts immune function, it scavenges free-radicals (compounds which cause deterioriation within the body) and improves lipid blood chemistry. Odds are if you have been drinking tea for some time, then just imagine if you hadn't been drinking it - the sickness you describe would have been even worse!!

Remember, I only said that you should not understimate the amazing power of the T (Tea).

[theFIRMbss]

>It would be a good idea to not buy Chinese goods

Great minds think alike...
I just bought two pairs of jeans,
and I carefully

checked out the fine print
to make sure the blue jeans were
not "Made In China."