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Severe
Acute Respiratory
As the world responds to the ongoing epidemic of the new disease Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the California State University, Bakersfield Student Health Services offers the following resources to our patients, their families, our community, and our employees.
We've all been hearing a lot in the news lately about SARS-severe acute respiratory syndrome. What is it? Can I catch it? Am I at risk? Is it safe to travel? Recent articles have urged us to call our physicians if we suspect we have SARS. But how do we know if we really have SARS or something else, like the flu or a cold? This informational flyer will answer many of those questions.
What
is SARS?
A new disease called SARS Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness that has recently been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe. SARS is an illness that affects the lungs and respiratory tract. None of the cases in the United States has been fatal.
What
are the symptoms of SARS?
v SARS begins with a fever greater than 100.4°F [>38.0°C].
v Chills
v Headache
v An overall feeling of discomfort
v Body aches.
v Mild respiratory symptoms.
How
SARS spreads?
The primary way SARS appears to be spread is through droplet transmission, for example, when someone sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets into the air and someone else breathes them in. It also is possible that SARS can be spread more broadly through the air.
If
I were exposed to SARS, how long would it take for me to become sick?
The incubation period for SARS is typically 2-7 days; however, isolated reports have suggested an incubation periods as long as 10 days.
Who
is at risk for contracting SARS?
Most cases of SARS have continued to be reported primarily among people who cared for or lived with someone with SARS. Most of the U.S. cases of SARS have occurred among travelers returning to the United States from other parts of the world with SARS. There have been very few cases as a result of spread to close contacts such as family members and health care workers. Currently, there is no evidence that SARS is spreading more widely in the community in the United States. The CDC continues to monitor this situation very closely.
What
medical treatment is recommend for patients with SARS?
CDC currently recommends that patients with SARS receive the same treatment that would be used for any patient with serious community-acquired pneumonia.
CDC RECOMMENDATIONS
CDC has issued recommendations and guidelines for people who may be affected by this outbreak. They include:
v For individuals considering travel to areas with SARS: CDC has issued two types of notices to travelers: advisories and alerts. A travel advisory recommends that nonessential travel be deferred; a travel alert does not advise against travel, but informs travelers of a health concern and provides advice about specific precautions. CDC updates information on its website on the travel status of other areas with SARS as the situation evolves.
v For individuals who must travel to an area with SARS:
o Wash their hands frequently
o Avoid close contact with large numbers of people as much as possible
o CDC does not recommend the routine use of masks or other personal protective equipment while in public areas.
v For individuals who think they might have SARS:
o People with symptoms of SARS (fever greater than 100.4°F [>38.0°C] accompanied by a cough and/or difficulty breathing) should call the Student Health Services or their health-care provider to seek advice on how to access care. You are also advised to tell them about any recent travel to places where SARS has been reported or whether there was contact with someone who had these symptoms.
CSUB SHS (661) 654-2394 E.D. 05/03