SARS: harmful eects

11/10/14, 6:58 PM

SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS)

Introduction
Characteristics
Transmission
Methods for Monitoring in
the Environment
Methods for Measuring
Human Exposure
Strategies for Preventing or
Controlling Exposure
Harmful Effects
Absorption, Distribution and
Metabolism
Sites of Toxicity
Biomarkers of Disease
Molecular Mechanisms of
Action
Risk
Assessment/Management
5103 Home

TOXIC EFFECTS OF SARS: INTRODUCTION

The toxic effects of viruses are much more difficult to measure than those
of other agents, bacterial as well as chemical. Whereas a chemical will
have a finite effect on a cell depending on the amount and concentration of
the given chemical, and bacteria are limited by the amount of toxin it can
produce, the toxic effects of a virus are only limited by the host cells
ability to produce more virions. The amount of virus required to induce
some toxic effect on the host can theoretically be as low as one virus
particle.
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SARS
SARS-associated Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) harms the host by infecting
epithelial cells of the lungs and intestines that come into contact with viral
particles. This contact occurs by either the inhalation of virus-containing
droplets or the ingestion of fecal droplets. The virus will enter the given
epithelial cell and insert its RNA into the host cells genetic material. Once
embedded into the hosts DNA, the foreign genetic material will direct the
host cell to create numerous copies of the original virus. These viruses will
fill the cytoplasm of the host cell until there are so many copies that the
host cell ruptures from the interior pressure, releasing the multitude of
virions to infect any nearby uninfected cells.
Aside from inducing the death of infected cells, SARS-CoV also induces a
severe immune reaction in the host. Although at this time the exact
mechanism is unknown, the viral infection induces a hypersensitivity

http://enhs.umn.edu/current/5103/SARS/harmful.html

Page 1 of 2

SARS: harmful eects

11/10/14, 6:58 PM

reaction in the host. This reaction creates a massive production of mucous

and sputum, which leads to hypoxia, or insufficient oxygen in the blood.
This, in turn, puts such great stress on the lungs that many of the infected
suffer from respiratory failure.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY
SYNDROME
Incubation period:
Generally 2-7 days, can be up to 10 days
SARS Symptoms:
Begins with a high fever (>100.4F, >38.0C)
Fever can be accompanied by chills, rigors, headache, malaise, and
myalgia
Mild respiratory symptoms may be present at onset of illness
After 3-7 days, onset of lower respiratory symptoms occurs
including a dry, nonproductive cough or dyspnea which may be
accompanied by or progress to hypoxemia
Most patients develop pneumonia
Diarrhea is typically absent but may occur in some cases
Severity of illness is highly variable ranging from mild illness to
death
In many patients the respiratory phase is characterized by early focal
interstitial infiltrates progressing to more generalized, patchy, interstitial
infiltrates.
Figure 1. Chest radiographs of index patient with severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS). a, day 5 of symptoms; b, day 10; c, day 13; d, day 15.

http://enhs.umn.edu/current/5103/SARS/harmful.html

Page 2 of 2