SARS Treatment Methods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

SARS Treatment Methods - Research Paper Example Since SARS is almost impossible to extinguish from the face of the planet Earth, the fear of this disease has existed since it first appeared among the populations in 2003, making it a powerful weapon against the fearful populations that never truly goes away. The primary source comes from the American Medical Association (AMA). AMA collects data on disease outbreaks, as well as research and activism related to health (AMAa). Its mission and guiding principles focus on the belief that a corporate association can promote ethical approaches to patients, further innovations in the field, and set standards for other physicians and medical students, among other things (AMAb). It also acts as support to physicians on legal issues by providing information on antitrust laws and physician payment filing (AMAc). The AMA website contains 64 different sources on the word â€Å"SARS† (AMAd). Resources range from definitions of the disease, to clinician infections and health system preparedness (AMAd). Information through articles is provided on international SARS outbreaks as well (AMAd). AMA provides links to other organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO). AMA also focuses on other infectious diseases. Besides SARS, AMA also provides information on â€Å"tuberculosis, influenza, viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, bloodborne and foodborne pathogens †¦ allergies, meningitis and many others† (AMAe). Information provided comes in form of â€Å"extensive reports, fact sheets, toolkits and links to then latest research† (AMAe). ... 2003 Detection and Responses to SARS In November 2002, SARS contagions began in Foshan City (Kaufman 53 - 54). This city is located in the South of China, where large numbers of pigs and chickens live in close proximity to humans (Kaufman 54). Thus, this area is known for virus mutations and disease outbreaks among humans (Kaufman 54). Symptoms of SARS are similar to flu. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms start with an increased bodily temperature above 38 Celsius degrees (1). Other symptoms might follow: bone ache, headache, and feeling of discomfort, diarrhea, dry cough and finally, pneumonia (CDC 1). However, China, unlike other countries, attempted to hide SARS outbreaks. As the outbreaks set in, the Chinese government covered them up, thus allowing the infected to travel abroad and infect more persons (Kaufman 54). As a result, the contagion became global, instead of being only isolated to a few areas in China. By January 2003, when autho rities were secretly notified, disease had spread across the entire region. However, the public was still kept unaware (Kaufman 54). According to Kaufman, the justification for secrecy lies in the fact that pneumonia was not required to be reported to the public (54). WHO acted a few months later. According to Bloom, one of the top WHO infectious disease specialists was infected by SARS in March of 2003 in Hanoi (701). The specialist died. Rumors spread about additional contagions in China (Bloom 701). Once WHO was alerted by a health computer logarithm, on February 11 the Chinese authorities reported the epidemic (Kaufman 55). It was in April that WHO was allowed to access the area (Kaufman