Cats Likely Source of SARS, Say Researchers (Chinese delicacy likely source of deadly virus)

VOA News ^ | 5/23/03 | Katherine Maria

[ppaul]

A Hong Kong researcher says a wild animal considered a dining delicacy is the carrier of a virus that causes SARS. The finding fits earlier speculation that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome originated in wild animals.

Hong Kong University revealed Friday that the civet cat, a wild animal indigenous to southern China, is the likely source of the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Dr. K.Y. Yuen said researchers at the Shenzhen Center of Disease Control found four strains of the virus in a large percentage of civet cats. "From a special type of civet cat, we are able to isolate the coronavirus," he said, "and this coronavirus on genomic analysis was found to be very similar to the coronavirus causing SARS in humans. But if you cannot control the further jumping of such virus from animals to human, the same epidemic can occur again."

The civet, a small long mammal with short legs and a pointed snout, is a delicacy in southern Chinese cuisine. Dr. Yuen says the disease likely jumped from animal to human when it was being killed or prepared for cooking.

But the cats themselves do not display any signs of illness, according to Dr. Yuen, perhaps indicating their immune system might be geared toward controling the virus. Dr. Yuen said the finding might not lead to a vaccine or cure for SARS in humans, but he urged people in China to stop selling the animals in food markets to limit possible transmission of the virus.

In a separate development, the World Health Organization on Friday lifted its travel advisory on Hong Kong and the Chinese province of Guangdong. Hong Kong's leader Tung Chee-hwa welcomed the decision.

The advisory went into effect on April 2, when the WHO saw the disease spreading rapidly through Hong Kong, and no one knew why or how. Airlines, hotels and restaurants suffered huge losses, as tourists and business travelers deferred visits to the region and Hong Kong residents stayed home.

Detected in southern China last November, SARS started spreading in Hong Kong in early March. It was then carried to other cities around the world by airline travelers. The disease, which causes a potentially deadly pneumonia, has afflicted more than 8,000 people worldwide with almost 90 percent of cases occurring in China and Hong Kong. Globally, SARS has killed more than 700 people.

[The Pheonix]

Thanks for your response

yes, I read that the chef survived his bout of SARS

regards

[crazykatz]

BTTT

[Exit148]

"But I understand that cats and dogs are becoming more popular as pets in China.

A few years back - in the 80s, there were no veterinarians in Beijing. Shortly after, there was an article in "China Today" about the popularity and need for them.

I'll never forget one little vignette I witnessed in the boonies of China. There was a farmer tending his farm and there was a mongrel dog with him. The farmer stopped for a moment and looked at his dog, as the dog looked up to him. They held their gaze on each other for a few moments, then the farmer went back to work. I didn't expect to see this sort of thing --- the same thing that I have done to my own pets. Other people with me noticed the same thing and commented on it.

[Exit148]

Eating exotic animals or other oddities is supposed to be some sort of sophistication, I guess. I read somewhere, it was a way to give 'merit to the elite'.

I guess we do it, in a way, when we savor live oysters on the half-shell, caviar, and raw meat. We've all heard of the delicacy of "unborn lamb"??

[Dengar01]

(In my homer simpson voice) hmmmmm cat.

[chickenlips]

They looked at the "menu items" when an unusually large number of the early Asian cases involved food handlers.

[Lijahsbubbe]

No, I wasn't mixing cats (no pun intended), I was talking about house cats.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Me-OUCH!

[Exit148]

"They looked at the "menu items" when an unusually large number of the early Asian cases involved food handlers."

Of course! (Why didn't I think of that!)

If it can be nailed down to the civet cat, at least the source can be controlled. (And maybe the Chinese will curb their yen for the exotic?)

[Publicus]

Sounds like, looks like, and smells like pet ferret.

Carnivorous mammals are too close to us genetically. Bad idea to eat them.

Africans are out of their minds eating great apes- 99% genetic match to homo sapiens. (In essence, cannibalism)

No wonder the funkiest, nastiest diseases originate there. Hellllooo? Africa...can you say 21st century?

[GOPJ]

You're good.

There's a cat in the kettle at the Peking Moon The place that I eat every day at noon They can feed you cat and you'll never know Once they wrap it up in dough boys

[menotyu]

Meow good , yummy yummy, you try, you try. Make you strong, taste good,oh yeah yummy yummy.

Not to be racist or anything, but is there anything that crawls, swims, flies, or walks that the chinese won't eat? As far as the musk perfume goes, did anyone ever look at that possibly introducing the virus into the Human population? Gotta go got a badger steak cookin on the grill, I likes mine rare.

[menotyu]

I really don't like cats , but I saw that too. When they were pounding it on the head with the stick I guess to try and knock it out. It didn't work, that poor thing suffered so horribly. I felt like going there and stompin some ass. PETA still sucks though.

[ppaul]

Gee, not real sensitive to diversity and multiculturalism, eh?
Still viewing the world thorugh your Christo-centric, paternalistic, westernized rose-colored glasses?

[seeker41]

It was "Animals:To Love or Hate", I saw it and regretted not flipping the channel sooner. I was angry for a week thinking about how horribly these animals died!

[this_ol_patriot]

Jeez, can you get that "Cats" out of the title a Civet is not a house cat but some people seem to think so. Before you know it they will be taking our pet cats away to be shot.

[D. Brian Carter]

That's what the people at my local Mensa meetings tell me too. Hmmmm....

[Socks C.]

WHAT A CROCK!

This is a slimy, slanderous slur, Sr.

[rintense]

Yep. I never have been politically correct and never will be.