The highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) poses a constant threat to human health. The viral spike protein (SARS-S) mediates host cell entry and is a potential target for antiviral intervention. Activation of SARS-S by host cell proteases is essential for SARS-CoV infectivity but remains incompletely understood. Here, we analyzed the role of the type II tran...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious and fatal infectious disease caused by SARS coronavirus (SARS-Cov), a novel human coronavirus. SARS-Cov infection stimulates cytokines (e.g., IL-10, IFN-gamma, IL-1, etc.) expression dramatically, and T lymphocytes and their subsets CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells are decreased after onset of the disease. SARS-specific IgG antibody is generated in...

The spike (S) protein, a main surface antigen of SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV), is one of the most important antigen candidates for vaccine design. In the present study, three fragments of the truncated S protein were expressed in E.coli, and analyzed with pooled sera of convalescence phase of SARS patients. The full length S gene DNA vaccine was constructed and used to immunize BALB/c mice. The ...

To assess the rapidly changing psychological status of nurses during the acute phase of the 2003 SARS outbreak, we conducted a prospective and periodic evaluation of psychiatric morbidity and psychological adaptation among nurses in SARS units and non-SARS units. Nurse participants were from two SARS units (regular SARS [N=44] and SARS ICU [N=26]) and two non-SARS units (Neurology [N=15] and CC...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) emerged in 2002 to 2003 in southern China. The origin of its etiological agent, the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), remains elusive. Here we report that species of bats are a natural host of coronaviruses closely related to those responsible for the SARS outbreak. These viruses, termed SARS-like coronaviruses (SL-CoVs), display greater genetic variation tha...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious and highly contagious disease that is caused by SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and for which there are currently no approved treatments. We report the discovery and characterization of small-molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV replication that block viral entry by three different mechanisms. The compounds were discovered by screening a chemical...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) contains a single spike (S) protein, which binds to its receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), induces membrane fusion and serves as a neutralizing antigen. A SARS-CoV-S protein-bearing vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype using the VSVDeltaG* system was generated. Partial deletion of the SARS-CoV-S protein cytoplasmic d...

In the era of SARS, there have been much concern about the atypical features of SARS in elders, and they have even been described as “invisible SARS.” The Hong Kong Geriatrics Society (HKGS) advocates the need to approach elders in the era of SARS with appropriate attitude, knowledge and skills. The HKGS has formed a Special Interest Groups (SIG) on “SARS in Elders” in April 2003. The aim is to...

Preoccupied with the diagnosis of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in a SARS outbreak, doctors tend to overlook other endemic diseases, such as tuberculosis. Incorrectly labeling a patient as SARS may result in serious consequences. Single isolation being not always possible, the patient may have to be isolated with a group of SARS patients. The following article reports how a young gir...