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 > What is pneumonia? > Viruses and bacteria > The uncommon cold: symptoms and transmission
dijous, 3 d'abril de 2003
Health officials all over the world are dismayed by the appearance of a mysterious pneumonia that was first detected in China's Guangdong province and has shown up in a total of 15 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) documented this bizarre disease this last November and believed that it had been controlled this last February when it caused 5 deaths and infected 305 people.
But in fact, the endemic was far from under control. The number of deaths is currently at 78, with a total of 2,223 cases of contagion. Inside 24 hours, from Saturday to Sunday, 65 new cases were reported. Notwithstanding, a team of scientists from the University of Hong Kong identified the virus responsible for the infection last Thursday, March 27. Given that the virus belongs to the family of corona virus, it has been baptized 'corona viral pneumonia'. This discovery is seen as the first step toward developing a cure for this Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which has already proven to be lethal on three continents. The aforementioned scientists have concurrently developed a test that identifies infection of the virus in only 8 hours, allowing it to be distinguished from the common form of pneumonia. Similarly, the dizzying rate at which the disease has spread has fed the incipient panic among the population, who are worried that the virus can be spread through the air and not just by direct contact. Health authorities have not entirely dismissed this as a possibility.
 
What is pneumonia?
+ Pneumonias are inflammatory and infectious diseases that affect the lungs.
Pneumonias, known popularly as the flu, are inflammatory and infectious diseases that affect the lungs and are caused by specific germs. The most common form of pneumonia is the pneumococcal form, which receives its name because of the pneumococcus bacteria that causes it. Its most typical symptoms include high fever, coughing accompanied by sputum, intense sweat, shivering, accelerated breathing and purple lips and nails. At this point, we must note that there is presently a vaccine available that protects against 23 strains of pneumococci, which cause the majority of the worst pneumonias in our environment.
Viruses and bacteria
+ Viruses are only able to reproduce as parasites.
As we've stated already, common pneumonia is caused by a bacteria, while the recently identified Asian flu is caused by a virus. Bacteria are one-celled organisms of microscopic dimensions without a nucleus, for which reason they are known as prokaryotes. This organisms multiply by division, which they do when they find themselves in the right environment. Among the diseases caused by bacteria we can highlight leprosy, cholera, tetanus and tuberculosis. In contrast, viruses are structures which can not be correctly identified as living entities since they are not made up of cells and they are only able to reproduce as parasites. Viruses are responsible for certain diseases such as the ordinary cold,
flu, smallpox and AIDS.
The uncommon cold: symptoms and transmission
+ It is thought that the virus is transmitted through direct contact.
Despite its recent emergence, much is already known about the SARS symptoms, which as we said, originated in the Gaungdong province located in south China. We know that high fever (more than 38ºC), dry cough, respiratory distress, headaches, myalgia and cold chills are the symptoms of SARS. Generally speaking, the incubation period is from 2 to 7 days and affects adults aged 25 to 70. While it is thought that the virus is transmitted through direct contact, airborne transmission has not been ruled out, which accounts for the use of surgical masks that cover the nose and mouth in areas where the disease has broken out.
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Investiga
> Saps què és una malaltia endèmica? Esbrina-ho en aquesta pàgina. Creus que la pneumònia asiàtica es pot qualificar d'endèmica? Per què?
> Saps el nombre de persones que, a dia d'avui, han estat infectades per la Síndrome Respiratòria Aguda Greu? I el nombre de països pels quals s'ha estès la malaltia, que el saps? Cerca'n les respostes a la web de l'Organització Mundial de la Salut.
> La ràpida extensió de la pneumònia asiàtica ha obligat la població ha prendre tot un seguit de mesures protectores. Aquestes imatges en són la millor prova.
I també...
- Els antibiòtics han permès de reduir l'índex de mortalitat de moltes malalties. Però, dels antibiòtics, se n'ha de fer un bon ús, tal i com s'explica en aquesta adreça electrònica.
- Saps quants casos de pneumònia atípica s'han diagnosticat a la Xina? I al continent europeu? Esbrina-ho en aquest document informatiu de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
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