Evaluation of WHO criteria for identifying patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome out of hospital: prospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine the clinical and radiological features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to evaluate the accuracy of the World Health Organization's guidelines on defining cases of SARS.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

A newly set up SARS screening clinic in the emergency department of a university hospital in Hong Kong's New Territories.

Participants

556 hospital staff, patients, and relatives who attended the screening clinic and who had had contact with someone with SARS.

Main outcome measure

Number of confirmed cases of SARS.

Results

Of the 556 people, 141 were admitted to hospital, and 97 had confirmed SARS. Fever, chills, malaise, myalgia, rigor, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, and neck pain but n

SUBMITTER: Rainer TH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC162123 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature