Asia's new popular trend is the surgical mask. Since the wide outbreak of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) disease broke out masks help the citizens protect their vital organs from being invaded. The disease was first thought of as different type of pneumonia. Studies have shown SARS is far more lethal. It is a germ from a family of diseases known as coronavirus, viruses that infect the lungs and airways of humans, cats, pigs, and chickens. The SARS virus is a parasite that replicates itself inside the host's body and harms it. The genetic structure of the disease can provide clues as to why it is more dangerous than others. The symptoms of SARS are dry coughing, fluid fills the lungs, chills, headaches, body aches, breathing trouble, and a high fever. It can be spread by sneezing or coughing by an infected person. There is currently no cure to the disease, but doctors keep patients isolated until they are no longer contagious to stop the spreading. Most of the patients fully recover because they have strong immune systems. Harmful germs enter the body through the skin, eyes, mouth, and nose. Scientists found that SARS virus came from civet cats, which is a Chinese delicacy, but whether humans got it from handling the animal meat in food markets is unknown. Vaccines were told to be the best way to rid the disease from spreading again. People that come into contact with different animals they don't normally see can easily get diseases from them. .
This article I read should alert countries all over the globe about how easily harmful diseases can become distributed between other countries. Our immune system is very important in today's society and people should be cautious of the type of animals they are around. SARS had an outbreak in the U.S. a couple of months ago, but the news has not discussed any more things about it since then. They only discuss the number of death victims.