WHO Announces Coronavirus as Cause of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Animal experiments with coronavirus infections have shown that a new form of the virus is the cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which has infected thousands of people worldwide, World Health Organization officials announced April 16, the New York Times reports. The announcement came after researchers at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Netherlands, led by Dr. Albert Osterhaus, reported that monkeys infected with a new form of the coronavirus developed symptoms similar to SARS in humans, the Times reports. Monkeys given both coronavirus and a type of paramyxovirus previously isolated from SARS patients did not become more seriously ill than those exposed only to coronavirus, scientists said.

Implications
A CDC spokesperson said U.S. health officials will independently verify the Dutch findings before accepting them as final (Altman, New York Times, 4/17). The findings will allow researchers to focus on the form of coronavirus -- to be officially called the SARS virus -- in an effort to develop better diagnostic tests, treatments or a vaccine, the Washington Post reports. David Heymann, executive director of the WHO's communicable disease program, said health officials can now "move away from methods like isolation and quarantines, and move aggressively toward modern intervention strategies, including specific treatments and eventually vaccination" (Stein, Washington Post, 4/17). Dick Thompson, WHO spokesperson, said a faster, inexpensive diagnostic test is needed because current tests may not be effective until the 20th day of infection. Scientists in Singapore, Germany and Switzerland have said they plan to unveil new diagnostic tests later this week, the Miami Herald reports (Prater/Tasker, Miami Herald, 4/17). Elsewhere, researchers at the University of Hong Kong said their research into the SARS virus' genetic makeup shows that it came from animals; researchers also said they believe the virus mutated to infect about 300 people in a large apartment building in Hong Kong (Ross, AP/Newport News Daily Press, 4/16).

U.S. Developments and Reaction
As of April 16, SARS has infected 3,293 people and led to 159 deaths in 24 countries and territories, according to WHO data (WHO daily update, 4/16). The CDC is investigating 199 cases in the United States, but that number could soon drop to as few as 30 cases as diagnostic tests eliminate potential cases, the Los Angeles Times reports (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 4/17). U.S. health officials have encouraged pharmaceutical companies to begin research and development efforts to find a SARS treatment, but the government has not yet offered financial incentives for such research, Reuters/Houston Chronicle reports (Reuters/Houston Chronicle, 4/16). The Washington Post reports that an "explicit" federal commitment to stockpile SARS treatments or a vaccine might be the one factor that would "spark greater commercial interest" in SARS. Drug company executives are reluctant to begin rushed development programs for the disease until the future of the virus and its global prevalence becomes clearer, according to the Post (Gillis/Barbaro, Washington Post, 4/17). The New York Times reports that although no one has died from SARS in the United States, the disease has created a "psychology of fear ... particularly in Asian immigrant communities" around the country. Some Asian immigrants say that their businesses have been impacted, they feel obligated to a self-imposed quarantine after travel to Asia and they are establishing new routines to limit risk of exposure (Lee et al., New York Times, 4/17).

Broadcast Coverage
The following broadcast programs reported on SARS in the last couple days:

• NPR's "All Things Considered": The segment includes comments from WHO officials (Kuhn, "All Things Considered," NPR, 4/16). The full segment is available online in RealPlayer. In addition, expanded NPR coverage of SARS is available online.
  
• PBS' "Nightly Business Report": The program reports on how SARS is driving up demand for medical supplies manufactured by U.S. companies (Eastabrook, "Nightly Business Report," PBS, 4/16). The full transcript of the segment is available online.
  
• WAMU's "The Diane Rehm Show": The nationally syndicated NPR program on April 17 includes a discussion with National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC National Center for Infectious Diseases Director Dr. James Hughes (Rehm, "The Diane Rehm Show," WAMU, 4/17). The full segment will be available online in RealPlayer after the broadcast.