From: Subject: Taiwan develops rapid test for SARS virus: report Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 06:49:51 +0200 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3B320.533E40E0"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3B320.533E40E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031120/323/eeich.html Taiwan develops rapid test for SARS virus: = report
My=20 Yahoo! - Yahoo!=20 - Help

3D""=20

Yahoo! Headlines Health=20
Home Top Stories World Business Ireland<= /TD> Politics Entertainment= Tech Science Full Coverage Sport
AFP
Thursday November 20, 05:23 = PM

Taiwan develops rapid test for SARS = virus:=20 report

3DPhoto
Click to=20 enlarge photo

TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan researchers have developed a test that = can=20 diagnose SARS infections as early as the first two to three days = after the=20 onset of the deadly virus, it was reported.

The test, developed = by the=20 National Taiwan University, works by detecting the SARS-associated = coronavirus (SARS-CoV) antigens in specimens collected from the = patients,=20 according to the Min Sheng Daily.

"The testings have displayed a high degree of accuracy," = the paper=20 cited Chang Ming-fu, head of the university's Graduate Institute = of=20 Biochemistry and Molecularbiology, as saying.

The new test can help identify Severe Acute Respiratory = Syndrome=20 (SARS) infection much earlier than existing methods which detect = the=20 antibodies of SARS-CoV, the paper said.

A SARS patient may not be tested positive to an antibody = until more=20 than 28 days after illness onset and possibly longer.

In addition, researchers at the university have also = developed a=20 new method to collect specimens from the saliva of the patients by = rinsing=20 the mouth with water, the paper said.

Compared with the traditional procedure of collecting = specimens=20 from the throat, the new method will reduce healthcare workers' = risk of=20 being exposed to SARS virus, it said.

The pneumonia-like disease broke out in China's southern = Guangdong=20 province in November last year and later spread to and caused mass = outbreaks in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam.

It killed 774 people out of 8,098 cases worldwide, = according to the=20 latest toll of World Health Organization (WHO).=20

The WHO on September 26 revised Taiwan's death toll from = the=20 epidemic down from 180 to 37 after ruling that 143 of the = fatalities on=20 the initial list had not in fact died from the disease.

 Latest News=20 Videos
Letters=20 to Santa already
More=20 News=20 = Videos

 Full=20 Coverage
Bush=20 in London =B7 Photos
=B7Turkish=20 blasts
=B7Soham=20 trial
=B7Michael=20 Jackson
All Full=20 = Coverage
ADVERTISEMENT
=

=20   Email=20 this article - View most = sent=20 articles - 3D"Print Print this = page

 Get your own free Yahoo! email address: Sign=20 up

More From > Health
Previous Story: Congolese=20 refuse to join fight against Ebola: official = (AFP)
Next=20 Story: Swedish police=20 probe reports of meat laced with poison (AFP) =

Yahoo! Full=20 Coverage > Severe Acute = Respiratory=20 Syndrome

=20 News Photos