Focus 10 July 2003

SARS

March 2003, the World Health Organization issued global warnings about a mysterious and deadly form of pneumonia. Here, Nature's reporters pose key questions about the outbreak, and assess our preparedness to deal with future viral threats. Below, we present Nature's coverage of this global crisis, a chronology of an epidemic. All articles here are free of charge.

Content

We have been warned

The world is celebrating the news that the SARS outbreak now seems to be contained. But the epidemic has revealed gaps in our defences against emerging viral diseases and the ever-looming threat of a flu pandemic.

Editorial10 Jul 2003 Nature
Vaccine sought as bird flu infects humans
- David Cyranoski
News6 Mar 2003 Nature
Health labs focus on mystery pneumonia
- David Cyranoski
News20 Mar 2003 Nature
Mystery virus slow to yield its identity as patient numbers rise
- Helen Pearson
News27 Mar 2003 Nature
Identity of mystery pneumonia bug sharpens

Questions raised over readiness for lethal SARS epidemic.
- Helen Pearson
News20 Mar 2003 Nature
Portrait of a probable killer

Viral double act implicated in 'killer flu' epidemic.
- Helen Pearson
News28 Mar 2003 Nature
China joins investigation of mystery pneumonia
- David Cyranoski
News3 Apr 2003 Nature
Researchers get to grips with cause of pneumonia epidemic
- Jonathan Knight
News10 Apr 2003 Nature
There are two sides to biodefence

A mystery epidemic of pneumonia serves as a timely reminder that Mother Nature is the ultimate bioterrorist.

Editorial10 Apr 2003 Nature
Taiwan left isolated in fight against SARS
- David Cyranoski
News17 Apr 2003 Nature
Infection risk puts the brakes on Canada's biomedical research
- Tom Clarke
News17 Apr 2003 Nature
Deadly virus effortlessly hops species

Genetic engineering helps reveal origin of deadly 'flu
- Helen Pearson
News2 Apr 2003 Nature
Labs crack killer's code

Sequence shows that animal spawned SARS virus.
- Helen Pearson
News15 Apr 2003 Nature
Apartment complex holds clues to pandemic potential of SARS
- David Cyranoski
- Alison Abbott
News1 May 2003 Nature
Biologists seek to head off future sources of infection
- Alison Abbott
- David Cyranoski
News1 May 2003 Nature
Critics slam treatment for SARS as ineffective and perhaps dangerous
- David Cyranoski
News1 May 2003 Nature
US Army joins hunt for SARS drug
- Alison Abbott
News8 May 2003 Nature
First past the post

From the moment the mysterious illness known as SARS was declared a global threat to health, virologists were racing to develop a diagnostic test. Alison Abbott visits the tiny German lab that got there first.
- Alison Abbott
News Feature8 May 2003 Nature
Koch's postulates fulfilled for SARS virus
- Ron A. M. Fouchier
- Thijs Kuiken
- Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus
Brief Communication15 May 2003 Nature
Animal studies hint at staying power of SARS
- Helen Pearson
News22 May 2003 Nature
Politics hindering SARS work

Taiwan has been left to fight its outbreak with little help.
- Ying-Hen Hsieh
Correspondence22 May 2003 Nature
Virus detectives seek source of SARS in China's wild animals
- David Cyranoski
- Alison Abbott
News29 May 2003 Nature
SARS hits hard

Death rates higher than expected, but control measures seem to be working.
- Tom Clarke
News8 May 2003 Nature
SARS may be here to stay

Vaccines and tracking could benefit from slow mutation of killer virus genome.
- Helen R. Pilcher
News12 May 2003 Nature
SARS' Achilles' heel revealed

Drugs to treat common cold may be effective against the virus.
- Tom Clarke
News15 May 2003 Nature
Pet theory comes to the fore in fight against SARS
- Alison Abbott
News5 Jun 2003 Nature
SARS, a challenge from the South

When an epidemic threatens the affluent countries, the response is fast and well-funded.
- Jerome. A. Singh
Correspondence5 Jun 2003 Nature
China and Germany join forces over SARS
- Alison Abbott
News19 Jun 2003 Nature
WHO issues rallying cry to keep fight against SARS on track
- David Cyranoski
News26 Jun 2003 Nature
Liquorice may tackle SARS

After trying all sorts of compounds researchers say root extract looks promising.
- HelenR. Pilcher
News13 Jun 2003 Nature
SARS triggers biomedical shake-up in China
- David Cyranoski
News25 Sep 2003 Nature

SARS

Content

We have been warned

Vaccine sought as bird flu infects humans

Health labs focus on mystery pneumonia

Mystery virus slow to yield its identity as patient numbers rise

Identity of mystery pneumonia bug sharpens

Portrait of a probable killer

China joins investigation of mystery pneumonia

Researchers get to grips with cause of pneumonia epidemic

There are two sides to biodefence

Taiwan left isolated in fight against SARS

Infection risk puts the brakes on Canada's biomedical research

Deadly virus effortlessly hops species

Labs crack killer's code

Apartment complex holds clues to pandemic potential of SARS

Biologists seek to head off future sources of infection

Critics slam treatment for SARS as ineffective and perhaps dangerous

US Army joins hunt for SARS drug

First past the post

Koch's postulates fulfilled for SARS virus

Animal studies hint at staying power of SARS

Politics hindering SARS work

Virus detectives seek source of SARS in China's wild animals

SARS hits hard

SARS may be here to stay

SARS' Achilles' heel revealed

Pet theory comes to the fore in fight against SARS

SARS, a challenge from the South

China and Germany join forces over SARS

WHO issues rallying cry to keep fight against SARS on track

Liquorice may tackle SARS

SARS triggers biomedical shake-up in China

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