Atypical SARS and Escherichia coli bacteremia

Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Feb;10(2):349-52. doi: 10.3201/eid1002.030501.

Abstract

We describe a patient with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) whose clinical symptoms were masked by Escherichia coli bacteremia. SARS developed in a cluster of healthcare workers who had contact with this patient. SARS was diagnosed when a chest infiltrate developed and when the patient's brother was hospitalized with acute respiratory failure. We highlight problems in atypical cases and offer infection control suggestions.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteremia / complications*
  • Base Sequence
  • Contact Tracing
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Escherichia coli Infections / complications*
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personnel, Hospital
  • Protective Devices
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / complications*
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / transmission
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / genetics
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / isolation & purification
  • Singapore / epidemiology

Substances

  • DNA, Viral