# What is so bad about SARS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205 "2003-04-03T14:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/21 "2003-04-04T16:51:07Z")
Yes, if it doesn’t kill you, you will get better. But not always the same as before. The damage to lungs esp. might mean that a person will be more likely to get pneumonia or such later on. (I am in exactly this boat due to a bad case of pneumonia years ago.) The fact that _both_ “severe” and “acute” appears in the current name of the disease tells us that the number of survivors with chronic pulmonary problems may be quite large. ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/22 "2003-04-04T17:07:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ftg \* > \*\*Yes, if it doesn’t kill you, you will get better. But not always the same as before. The damage to lungs esp. might mean that a person will be more likely to get pneumonia or such later on. (I am in exactly this boat due to a bad case of pneumonia years ago.) > \*\* Not to mention asthma, emphysema, and other COPD’s (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). **If** this causes long-term damage to the lung tissue, e.g., remodelling of the aveoli, there are issues of diminished lung capacity. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/23 "2003-04-04T17:13:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lampare \* > \*\*Why does it seem that these types of maladies always originate in Asia, particularly in China? \*\* Traditional farming in these areas results in humans living in close proximity to swine and fowl. These emerging threats have a tendancy to be mutated forms of fowl (Remember the wholesale killing of chickens a few years back in China?) and swine illnesses. In developed countries, if a pig sneezes, humans aren’t effected. IIRC it appears that SARS originated in one of China’s most rural and backwards provinces. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/24 "2003-04-04T17:44:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > Traditional farming in these areas results in humans living in close proximity to swine and fowl. These emerging threats have a tendancy to be mutated forms of fowl (Remember the wholesale killing of chickens a few years back in China?) and swine illnesses. In developed countries, if a pig sneezes, humans aren’t effected. IIRC it appears that SARS originated in one of China’s most rural and backwards provinces. \ There is a major epidemic occurring right now in southern California and Arizona with Newcastle’s Disease. Millions of chickens have slaughtered to try and stop the spread. There is a very real concern that it could spread to native birds and cause catastrophic results along the Pacific Flyway, if not also the North American interior. I have friends directly involved in the operation as part of national incident teams and they are nor hopeful right now of a satisfactory outome. See [http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/Newcastle\_info.htm](http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/Newcastle_info.htm) for the public information on this. \ ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/25 "2003-04-04T23:09:03Z")
Thanks all, good info. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/26 "2003-04-05T08:38:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broomstick \* > 5) We don’t have a treatment for it Yes we do. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/27 "2003-04-05T11:19:16Z")
And that is…? Last I read on the CDC website there were treatments _being tried_ but no definitive answer on what, if anything, worked. I suppose you could say handing out Tylenol, fluids, and the occassional respirator is “treatment”, but that’s more in the line of what’s called supportive care, which allows the body to better fight the infection off itself, than a treatment in the sense that antibiotics kill off bacteria. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205/28 "2003-04-05T15:00:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lampare \* > \*\*I have a related question regarding SARS and other flu-like illnesses. > > Why does it seem that these types of maladies always originate in Asia, particularly in China? Logic tells me that since there is such a huge pool of germ incubators (people), the chances are statistically greater that a new virulent mutation of a common bug will develop in countries with higher populations. But it still seems that Asia launches more than its fair share of diseases. Any thoughts out there on why this would be so? > \*\* Another reason for this, IIRC, is the raising of fowl and swine together. Apparently a lot of flu is cross species, and the crossing of species facilitates mutation. There are plenty of places where people and ducks, or people and pigs, live together. Asia is where they all live together. Which is yummy but apparently a little dangerous. BTW, I’m certain that the hygenic standards (in the farm areas), close living quarters, and reluctance of the government to admit a problem all help to contribute. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-bad-about-sars/166205.md?page=1)