Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
In 2003, SARS caught the attention of the world’s media and highlighted the importance of emerging infectious diseases. Although the disease was contained, it still found its way around the world and killed more than 700 people in 11 countries. The origin of the virus is still unknown.
University of Hong Kong
The scientific response to the SARS outbreak was unprecedented. The World Health Organization (WHO) pulled together international teams of virologists and within a month of the first global health alerts about SARS the pathogen was found to be a previously unidentified strain of coronavirus.
A prototype diagnostic test for SARS was made available shortly after the coronavirus was identified.
The SARS coronavirus was identified by amplifying portions of its genetic material using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and examining the resulting sequences. Further identification was also achieved through the use of microarray technology.
Coronaviruses have a crown-like ‘corona’ halo of protein spikes that help them to latch on to their host cells. While many coronaviruses that infect people cause nothing nastier than common colds, some animal coronaviruses cause more serious diseases.
The complete genome sequence of the SARS virus was published in May 2003. Analysis of this sequence indicates that the coronavirus that causes SARS is unique; it has evolved independently from the other known coronaviruses, probably over a long period of time in an animal host.
Finding the origin of the SARS virus is crucial for controlling re-emergence of the disease. A molecular diagnostic test is being developed to detect the SARS infection in various animal species.
Look at how DNA evidence was used to identify the source of SARS: http://www.koshlandscience.org/exhibitdna/inf01.jsp