SARS is a strain of the common Cold

[Stelliform]

This article explains how they have isolated SARS as a mutation of the common cold. They seem pretty excited, and they think that they will be able to find a vaccine or cure.

My question is, I thought a cure for the common cold was the holy grail of science not yet achieved? I would think that finding out that SARS comes from this family of bugs would be a downer.

 

[icetraxxg5]

I hope sars doesn't mutate like the common cold... or else there could never be a cure?

 

[Rower_CPU]

Antibacterial soap and people not adhering to antibiotics regimens properly are starting to create some fun superbugs. Plain old soap and water and letting your body handle an illness or two on its own is the way to go.

 

[Stelliform]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
Antibacterial soap and people not adhering to antibiotics regimens properly are starting to create some fun superbugs. Plain old soap and water and letting your body handle an illness or two on its own is the way to go.

I totally agree. My kids Dr. doesn't like to prescribe antibiotics. Many pedietricians (Sorry for the spelling, I am on a PC. No Safari spell check) prescribe antibiotics to make the moms feel better. I figure that I will build up my immunity so I will have a fighting chance against antibiotic resistent bacteria.

 

[arn]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
Antibacterial soap and people not adhering to antibiotics regimens properly are starting to create some fun superbugs.

While true on it's own...

this isn't responsible for SARS. This is a virus - which doesn't respond to antibiotics anyhow... when people talk about increasing antibiotic resistance - they are talking about bacteria, generally.

arn

 

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by arn
While true on it's own...

this isn't responsible for SARS. This is a virus - which doesn't respond to antibiotics anyhow... when people talk about increasing antibiotic resistance - they are talking about bacteria, generally.

arn

Thanks for the clarification. I was wondering when a (soon-to-be) doctor would come along and say something.

 

[scem0]

Anti-bacterial soap, sanitizer, and products in general are bad
for you, because they kill the natural bacteria on your hands
which are by no means bad. Plus regular soap can do pretty
much anything anti-bacterial can. I still love Purell though.

 

[Les Kern]

SARS, Shmars. This may seem callous, and I DO feel for anyone who dies, but
140 dead in the whole world? As the media pounds you with the acronym night after night after night, know that influenza (the FLU!), according to the CDC:
"Mortality due to influenza has risen from an average of 20,000 per year in the 1970s and 1980s to 36,000 per year in the 1990s. In bad years, death tolls can top out at 50,000 to 70,000, said Keiji Fukuda, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist and influenza expert with the CDC." Now I challenge you, is this the total world-wide or just the USA?
Stop watching the idiot 10 o'clock news and THINK. Don't let the money-driven media brainwash you.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by Les Kern

"Mortality due to influenza has risen from an average of 20,000 per year in the 1970s and 1980s to 36,000 per year in the 1990s. In bad years, death tolls can top out at 50,000 to 70,000, said Keiji Fukuda, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist and influenza expert with the CDC." Now I challenge you, is this the total world-wide or just the USA?
Stop watching the idiot 10 o'clock news and THINK. Don't let the money-driven media brainwash you.

That's totally nuts! Nasty too...you have a link to that?

I think what was the biggest issue with SARS was the potential - which hasn't happened yet, thankfully.

D

 

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by dukestreet
That's totally nuts! Nasty too...you have a link to that?

I think what was the biggest issue with SARS was the potential - which hasn't happened yet, thankfully.

D

Luckily, yes, it hasn't spread (too much) past asia. (sorry people in Hong kong, japan, korea...etc)

Its good they are starting to know more about SARS than before.

 

[Les Kern]

CDC Infectious Disease News
http://www.infectiousdiseasenews.com/200303/flu.asp
You'll need a login, but I'm SURE you can find it on a public site.
The examples of fear mongering/quest for readers is all over the place... one just has to open one's eyes! Once I saw that a LOT of people are on SARS, I knew it would be taken care of. But I do have to admit that bombs and guns won't end the human race, the bugs will, and we should be POURING our money into CDC and other health entities.
SARS is a pimple on our butt.

 

[jethroted]

I agree with you guys. I am not worried at all about sars. I can't beleive the media hype over this thing. It's like, ya, that's terrible people died, but people die all over the world by bugs, and diseases that kill thousnads more people a day than sars. People just don't care anymore about those though. those illnesses are old and borring. People want new, more fashonable diseases to worry about these days.

 

[zimv20]

just heard on NPR

the CDC, which had previously released its totals for the number of people in the US who possibly had SARS (i think they said 208), has now released its totals for the number of people in the US who are "probable": 35

the probable set uses the (more strict) parameters set by the WHO.

 

[frescies]

aye

Originally posted by Les Kern
SARS, Shmars. This may seem callous, and I DO feel for anyone who dies, but
140 dead in the whole world? As the media pounds you with the acronym night after night after night, know that influenza (the FLU!), according to the CDC:
"Mortality due to influenza has risen from an average of 20,000 per year in the 1970s and 1980s to 36,000 per year in the 1990s. In bad years, death tolls can top out at 50,000 to 70,000, said Keiji Fukuda, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist and influenza expert with the CDC." Now I challenge you, is this the total world-wide or just the USA?
Stop watching the idiot 10 o'clock news and THINK. Don't let the money-driven media brainwash you.

I couldn't agree more with your sentiment. I myself am not SCARED of "SARS". To hear people rampantly frightening themselves over "SARS" news is hilarious to me. People are making an enormous deal out of nothing. People want antibiotics for this thing? Pardon me, but thats BS.

I seriously doubt that it is a version of the common cold. Even if it originated as a strain of the common cold, the symptoms expressed in this strain would repressent something no longer categorized by the common cold, thus making it something new.

For instance, a cluster of patients infected with SARS have seen devastating effects to their Lower Digestive track. That would definately make this something beyond the common cold.

What makes me interested in this is the Rapid evolution at work. I love rapid evolution, particularly in the case of pathogens. I would be truly fascinated if this thing were indeed to life up to the bs hype. If and when that happens, I would be truly excited. Nature has an amazing population control department, and I like to watch it work its magic.

 

[Les Kern]

Re: aye

Originally posted by frescies
Nature has an amazing population control department, and I like to watch it work its magic.

Bugs, not bombs, will kill the human race, this I personally believe. However (and I'm not really trying to cover my bases) I PRAY this isn't it!
This over-reaction has been highlighted in spades by a book I read called "Culture of Fear" by Barry Glassner. If you want a good read that will open your eyes, read this one. The intro and first chapter alone blew my mind. I had to stop to take it all in, and it has radically changed my way of thinking not just about bugs and urban legends, but to also reflect on the REASONS we do it and whether there is a concerted effort to keep us frightened. Also, the rationale outlined in the book can be taken a step further and address some of our fears about the current war, who is doing what and why. Get it. You all won't be disappointed.

 

[GeeYouEye]

SARS is most likely a slightly mutated variant of the avian flu. Normally, it is quite difficult for people to catch avian flu, but on the rare (until now) occasions people did catch it, the symptoms were pretty much identical to SARS. Just be glad it isn't another outbreak of the Spanish flu. We'd be in REAL trouble if it was, but then, given population density in the currently affected areas, we'd have at least 10k dead by now if it was, probably closer to 100k.

 

[billyboy]

After the First World War, the returning soldiers helped spread Spanish flu to the extent 40 million died world wide. The last pandemic I believe was in 1968, ironically the only year in living memory the British Army was not deployed on active duty somewhere in the world.

 

[fatcow242]

Originally posted by MrMacman
Luckily, yes, it hasn't spread (too much) past asia. (sorry people in Hong kong, japan, korea...etc)

Actually...its not all that far away

 

[iMook]

SARS is a media cash cow, not another Permian Extinction. That's my view. But, it does make for an interesting alternative to war coverage.

Anyways, OPC-3 seems to help. my .02