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UPDATED INTERIM U.S. SARS CASE DEFINTION

For purposes of case finding and surveillance in the United States, the March 17th CDC SARS case definition has been updated as follows:

• Temperature must be measured
• SARS areas are limited to those with suspected or documented community transmission; this differs from the WHO definition as it excludes areas where secondary transmission has been limited to only health care workers or direct household contacts. Note : the list of SARS areas will be updated as new information becomes available.

Suspected Case:

Respiratory illness of unknown etiology with onset since February 1, 2003, and the following criteria:

• Measured temperature >100.4°F (>38°C)
• One or more clinical findings of respiratory illness (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, hypoxia or radiographic findings of either pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome)
• Travel within 10 days of onset of symptoms to an area with suspected or documented community transmission of SARS (see list below; excludes areas with secondary cases limited to healthcare workers or direct household contacts)

OR

• Close contact* within 10 days of onset of symptoms with either a person with a respiratory illness and travel to a SARS area or a person under investigation or suspected of having SARS

* Close contact is defined as having cared for, having lived with, or having had direct contact with respiratory secretions and /or body fluids of a patient suspected of having SARS.

List of areas with documented or suspected community transmission of SARS: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Guangdong province, Peoples' Republic of China; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Singapore

Note: Suspect cases with either radiographic evidence of pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome; or evidence of unexplained respiratory distress syndrome by autopsy are designated "probable" cases by the WHO case definition.