Betty Jo and aristeides, I think you are on to something with your posts of mycoplasmosis as a co-infection and/or a CYA to avoid labelling deaths as SARS related...
Here are some interesting summaries from articles at bhc.edu on the effects of other viruses vs mycoplasmosis...
- These results show that sialodacryoadenitis virus infection can exacerbate respiratory mycoplasmosis in rats under experimental conditions; therefore, the virus probably also contributes to expression of naturally occurring mycoplasmosis.
- Rats reinfected at 6 or 9 months were infectious to their naive cage mates. The results indicate that reinfection with homologous rat coronavirus can occur as early as 6 months after the initial infection, and such rats can transmit the infection to contact controls.
- Based on these results, it is evident that SDAV enhances lower respiratory tract disease in Wistar rats whether exposure occurs at one week prior to or at various intervals following M. pulmonis infections.
- These studies show that SDAV is infectious for mice and can be a pathogen for the respiratory system. Thus, SDAV infection of mice may be responsible for spurious seroconversions to MHV.
http://www.bhc.edu/eastcampus/leeb/aids/images/SARSsialodacryoadenitis.doc