Guest guest Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 SARS - WORLDWIDE (15): ANIMAL RESERVOIRS A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org> ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org> Sat 17 Apr 2004 ProMED-mail <promed Source: The China Daily, Sat 17 Apr 2004 [edited] <http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/17/content_324179.htm> Fox and Cat Join Civet Cat as Confirmed Carriers of the SARS Coronavirus Chinese scientists have found that the coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is also carried by foxes and cats, not just civets, according to the Guangzhou Evening Newspaper. Lin Jinyan, the leader of a SARS control and prevention research team in south China's Guangdong Province, reported in a seminar held in Guangzhou that other wild animals were also found to carry the virus. The team had tested thousands of people [for] SARS antibodies in 16 cities in Guangdong and found that among 994 people working in animal markets, 10.6 percent carried positive antibodies, and among 123 civet cat husbandry staff, only 3.25 percent tested positive. Experts have also tested foxes, hedge-shrews and cats collected in the province and discovered that some carried the SARS coronavirus. On 16 Jan 2004, World Health Organization experts claimed that the SARS coronavirus or a SARS-like coronavirus was linked to civet cats. WHO epidemiologist Robert Breiman said it's possible that other animals were also involved in the spread of SARS. -- ProMED-mail <promed [These observations extend the range of animal species known to harbour the SARS coronavirus (or a closely related coronavirus). The results of the human antibody study suggest that the transmission of SARS coronavirus from civets to humans, if it occurs at all, is less efficient than from some other animals. What is certain is that a very large number of civet cats was destroyed unjustifiably. These data do not establish the direction of transmission of infection -- from animal to man, or the reverse. The origin of the SARS coronavirus remains obscure, and it is possible that the virus has been present in the human population for some time, only developing virulence recently. - Mod.CP] [Thanks to Alfonso Rodriguez, who sent in another version of this article. This report is also interesting in apparently showing a significant number of SARS survivors in the animal handling population. One might wonder at the specificity of the antibody test used. - Mod.JW] -- Dave Neale UK Director Animals Asia Foundation Find out more about our historic China Bear Rescue and Friends or Food? projects by visiting the Animals Asia Foundation website at http://www.animalsasia.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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