[The epidemiologic characteristics of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)]

To study the epidemiologic characteristics of patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and to investigate the transmission way of the disease.

A total of 80 clinically diagnosed SARS patients was enrolled in this study.

The result showed that 72/80 patients had exposed to SARS patient, and the least contact time was only 20 minutes, the average incubation period was (7.6 +/- 4.3) days (range 2 to 20 days); 53 (66.3%) subjects were hospital stuffs in this group, and 92.5% hospital stuffs (49/53) and 85.2% non-hospital stuffs (23/27) had the history of direct contact with SARS patients, respectively. The incubation period for the hospital stuffs and non-hospital stuffs were similar. More nurses (54.7%) were infected than doctors (34%) and nurse assistance (11.3%). The lack of isolation and self-protection was the most important factor for the hospital infection, and early isolation could efficiently prevent the spread of the disease.

Close exposure was the most important way for the transmission of SARS and the aggregation of the disease is common. The incubation period was around 7 days. The efficient isolation and self-protection could reduce the infection and prevent the spread of the disease.