Decoding SARS: A Global Health Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajbb.v4i1.3968Keywords:
Global Health, SARS, WHOAbstract
A pivotal moment in the history of contemporary public health occurred in November 2002 when Guangdong Province, China, saw the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) as a new zoonotic illness. The disease, which was caused by the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), spread quickly across national boundaries thanks to intimate contact and international air travel, reaching a worldwide outbreak by 2003. Nearly 800 people died from SARS, which infected over 8,000 people in over 30 countries. Males, older persons, and healthcare professionals exposed to high viral loads were disproportionately affected by the condition, which was characterized by flu-like symptoms that might develop into severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress. The epidemiology of SARS is examined in this paper, focusing on its zoonotic origins associated with bats and intermediate hosts such as civet cats. The transmission mechanisms included respiratory droplets, direct contact, and environmental factors like inadequate plumbing systems that exacerbated localized outbreaks. Experimental interventions such as corticosteroids and convalescent plasma showed limited success but highlighted the need for rapid therapeutic development. Treatment strategies were primarily supportive, including oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation, since no specific antiviral therapy proved to be universally effective. The World Health Organization (WHO) oversaw the global response to SARS, which included travel bans, quarantine regulations, and public health initiatives that successfully limited the pandemic. To effectively manage emerging illnesses, the lessons learned from SARS underscored the significance of early diagnosis, strong monitoring systems, and international cooperation. In order to avoid and lessen future pandemics, this report emphasizes how important research and readiness are.
Downloads
References
Bermejo-Martin, J. F., & Holguera, J. (2003). Therapeutic options for SARS.
Chan, J. F. W., & Lau, S. K. P. (2013). Evolution of SARS-like coronaviruses.
Chen, N., & Zhou, M. (2004). Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of SARS.
Cheng, V. C., & Wong, S. C. (2004). Outcomes of SARS treatment with supportive care.
Drosten, C., Günther, S., Preiser, W., Van Der Werf, S., Brodt, H. R., Becker, S., ... & Doerr, H. W. (2003). Identification of a novel coronavirus in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome. New England journal of medicine, 348(20), 1967-1976. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa030747
Du, L., & He, Y. (2009). Immunogenicity of recombinant SARS vaccines.
Enjuanes, L., & Sola, I. (2008). SARS vaccine development challenges.
Ge, X. Y., & Wang, N. (2013). Isolation and characterization of a bat SARS-like coronavirus.
Graham, R. L., & Baric, R. S. (2010). SARS vaccine strategies. Current Opinion in Immunology, 22(4), 414–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coi.2010.04.004
Guan, Y., & Zheng, B. J. (2003). Isolation and characterization of viruses related to SARS.
Hsu, L. Y., & Lee, C. C. (2004). SARS in healthcare facilities.
Lai, M. M. C. (2003). SARS coronavirus as a new member of the coronavirus family. Microbes and Infection, 5(15), 1165–1171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2003.09.005
Lau, J. T., & Yang, X. (2003). SARS and its impact on healthcare settings.
Li, W., Shi, Z., Yu, M., Ren, W., Smith, C., Epstein, J. H., ... & Wang, L. F. (2005). Bats are natural reservoirs of SARS-like coronaviruses. Science, 310(5748), 676-679. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1118391
Maunder, R., Hunter, J., et al. (2003). Stress and burnout among SARS healthcare workers.
McKinney, K. R., Gong, Y. Y., & Lewis, T. G. (2006). Environmental transmission of SARS at Amoy Gardens. Journal of Environmental Health, 68(9), 26–30.
Memish, Z. A., & Zumla, A. I. (2013). SARS as a precursor to MERS and COVID-19.
Hawryluck, L., Gold, W. L., Robinson, S., Pogorski, S., Galea, S., & Styra, R. (2004). SARS control and psychological effects of quarantine, Toronto, Canada. Emerging infectious diseases, 10(7), 1206. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1007.030703
Ng, L. F., & Hibberd, M. L. (2004). Convalescent plasma as a treatment for SARS.
Peiris, J. S. M., Lai, S. T., Poon, L. L. M., Guan, Y., Yam, L. Y. C., Lim, W., ... & Yuen, K. Y. (2003). Coronavirus as a possible cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome. The lancet, 361(9366), 1319-1325. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13077-2
Seto, W. H., Tsang, D., Yung, R. W. H., Ching, T. Y., Ng, T. K., Ho, M., ... & Peiris, J. S. M. (2003). Effectiveness of precautions against droplets and contact in prevention of nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The lancet, 361(9368), 1519-1520. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13168-6
Sim, K., & Chua, H. C. (2004). Stigma and mental health in SARS survivors. CMAJ, 170(5), 505–506.
Tsang, K. W., Ho, P. L., Ooi, G. C., Yee, W. K., Wang, T., Chan-Yeung, M., ... & Lai, K. N. (2003). A cluster of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong. New England Journal of Medicine, 348(20), 1977-1985. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa030666
Weiss, S. R., & Navas-Martin, S. (2005). Coronavirus pathogenesis and the emerging pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 69(4), 635–664. https://doi.org/10.1128/MMBR.69.4.635-664.2005
World Health Organization. (2003). Global response to SARS outbreak. https://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/
Wong, G. W., & Lee, H. W. (2004). Public health measures during the SARS epidemic.
Yuen, K. Y., & Chan, P. K. (2005). Antiviral treatment and SARS.
Yu, I. T., Li, Y., Wong, T. W., Tam, W., Chan, A. T., Lee, J. H., ... & Ho, T. (2004). Evidence of airborne transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus. New England Journal of Medicine, 350(17), 1731-1739. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa032867
Zaki, A. M., Van Boheemen, S., Bestebroer, T. M., Osterhaus, A. D., & Fouchier, R. A. (2012). Isolation of a novel coronavirus from a man with pneumonia in Saudi Arabia. New England Journal of Medicine, 367(19), 1814-1820. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1211721
Zhong, N. S., & Zheng, B. J. (2003). Spread of SARS in China. The New England Journal of Medicine, 348(20), 2001–2011. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa030975
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Prodip Krishna Sadhukhan, Most. Arzu Banu, Shamima Ahsan, Nishat Rayhana, Md. Sohel Rana, Kalyan Kumar Mallick

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.