SARS cause isolated
Scientists in China are a step closer to isolating the original cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the atypical pneumonia that killed more than 800 people and infected more than 7,900 in 30 other countries.
Researchers claim the coronavirus virus, derived from wild animals sold as delicacies in China, was genetically similar, 99.8 per cent similar in fact, to the make-up of the killer virus.
In the journal Science, chief author, Yi Guan of the University of Hong Kong and colleagues contended that the disease was passed on from animals to humans and could do so again.
“Our findings suggest that the markets provide a venue for the animal (coronavirus) viruses to amplify and transmit to new hosts, including humans and this is critically important from the point of view of public health,” the Chinese researchers reported.
Scientists examined the virus carried in the meat of dead civets, raccoon-dogs and ferret badgers, which were sold as food in a market in Shenzhen.
Workers who handled the animals were tested. It was found that eight of the 20 wild animal traders and three of 15 workers who slaughter animals had antibodies to the virus.
This is significantly up on the 5 per cent of vegetable traders in the same market who had the viral antibodies.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong and two Chinese government health agencies.
Kathryn Holmes of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Centre heralded the study as a “landmark discovery.”
