Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

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Diagnosis

When SARS first surfaced, no specific tests were available. Now several laboratory tests can help detect the virus. But no known transmission of SARS has occurred anywhere in the world since 2004.

Treatment

Despite a concerted global effort, scientists have yet to find an effective treatment for SARS. Antibiotic drugs don't work against viruses, and antiviral drugs haven't shown much benefit.

By Mayo Clinic Staff
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Symptoms & causes
Dec. 24, 2025
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  1. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/ith/diseases/sars/en/. Accessed Aug. 30, 2019.
  2. McIntosh K. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Aug. 30, 2019.
  3. Walls RM, et al., eds. Viruses. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 30, 2019.
  4. Yin Y, et al. MERS, SARS and other coronaviruses as causes of pneumonia. Respirology. 2018; doi: 10.1111/resp.13196.
  5. De Wit E, et al. SARS and MERS: recent insights into emerging coronaviruses. Nature Reviews Microbiology. 2016; doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.81.
  6. Song Z, et al. From SARS to MERS, thrusting coronaviruses into the spotlight. Viruses. 2019; doi:10.3390/v11010059.
  7. Hospital infection control guidance for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/ihr/lyon/surveillance/infectioncontrol/en/. Accessed Aug. 30, 2019.

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