SARS causative agent

Ans. a. Corona-virus SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) caused epidemics of pneumonia from November 2002 to July 2003. Corona Virus SARS virus is corona virus. Corona virus infections in human beings usually remain limited to upper respiratory tract. In contrast, the outbreak of SARS in 2003 was characterized by serious respiratory illness, including pneumonia and progressive respiratory failure. In all likelihood, the SARS virus originated in a non-human host and acquired the ability to infect humans. Chinese horse-shoe bats are natural reservoirs of SARS-like Coronavirus. Incubation period of SARS Coronavirus: 6 days Death from progressive respiratory failure occurs in almost 10% of cases, with highest death rates among elderly.