Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

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What is SARS?

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness that first infected people in parts of Asia, North America, and Europe in late 2002 and early 2003. SARS is caused by a type of coronavirus, which can cause mild to moderate upper respiratory illness, such as the common cold. This virus is known as SARS-CoV.

Experts believe SARS may have first developed in animals because the virus has been found in civets—a catlike wild animal that is eaten as a delicacy in China—and other animals.footnote 1 In the first outbreak 8,096 people became sick with SARS and 774 died.footnote 2

How is SARS spread?


An infection may develop after:

  • Sharing food or drink with an infected person.
  • Hugging or kissing a person who has SARS.
  • Close contact with an infected person.


The disease does not appear to spread from a mother to her baby at birth.footnote 1

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms are a fever, a dry cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing. A person with SARS also may experience a headache, muscle aches, a sore throat, fatigue, and diarrhea. An older person may feel generally unwell (malaise) and lose his or her appetite but not have a fever.footnote 1 For some people the symptoms get worse quickly, making a hospital stay necessary.


If you think you may have SARS, be sure to call your doctor before you go in to get checked. The doctor will need to make sure you do not infect other people.

How is SARS diagnosed?




How is it treated?


About one-third (33 out of 100) of the people with SARS become ill and then recover.footnote 4 The illness gets worse in two-thirds (67 out of 100) of the people and is likely to lead to hospitalization.

About 9 out of 10 people infected with SARS recover. That means about 1 out of 10 people infected with SARS dies.footnote 5, footnote 6 The risk of dying from SARS depends on a person's age and health. The greatest risk is to people older than 65 and those with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease.

How can I avoid being infected with SARS?



Latest Information About SARS

The following health organizations are tracking and studying severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Their websites contain the most up-to-date information, including advice for travelers.

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) offers information about the status of the disease around the world, including summaries of research meetings and an archive of articles about the SARS outbreak of 2003. WHO also issues travel recommendations. You can find information at
  • The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information about the cause of the disease, diagnostic tests, possible treatments, and travel alerts and advisories for affected areas. The website also contains recommendations to prevent the spread of infection. You can find information at
  • Health Canada offers information on the government's response to SARS, clinical guidelines, public health and infection control recommendations, and information for travelers. You can find information at
  • British Columbia (BC) Provincial Health Officer offers current information and advice on SARS and provides a link to the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). You can find information at

Related Information



  1. Peiris JSM, et al. (2003). The severe acute respiratory syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine, 349(25): 2431–2441.
  2. World Health Organization (2003). Summary of Probable SARS Cases With Onset of Illness From 1 November 2002 to 31 July 2003. Available online:
  3. Loutfy MR, et al. (2003). Interferon alfacon-1 plus corticosteroids in severe acute respiratory syndrome: A preliminary study. JAMA, 290(24): 3222–3228.
  5. World Health Organization (2004). WHO guidelines for the global surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Updated recommendations, October 2004. Available online:
  6. Eun-Hyung Lee F, Treanor JJ (2010). Viral infections. In R Mason et al., eds., Murray and Nadels Textbook of Respiratory Medicine, 5th ed., vol. 1, pp. 661–698. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.


ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine

Current as ofNovember 14, 2014