Contributing+Factors-+SARS


 * Contributing Risk Factors**

The spreading of the disease seems to occur through direct contact with a mucous membrane, which include the eyes, mouth, and nose (see Transmission- SARS for more details). A majority of SARS patients contracted the disease among works in both kitchen and wildlife markets. The transmission was nearly unpreventable.

Susceptibility Rises with the following factors: Social/ Cultural factors:  Chinese vendors prepare to weigh dogs to be sold as food at an exotic game market in Guangzhou Janaury 15, 2004. World Health Organisation experts on a fact-finding mission in the capital of Guangdong said on Friday they found evidence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus in such markets. Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/171383/20110629/china-considers-ban-on-dog-meat-photos.htm Economic: Biological: Geographic:
 * The Chinese government was reluctant to release information about the spreading of the SARS virus, therefore there was more time for individuals to get infected before a proper response took place.
 * Cuisine markets and rituals (bringing animals, animal parts, and humans into close proximity)
 * Chain of death (caring for individuals who are infected). Health care workers working with respiratory secretions, contact with patients during more contagious phases of critical illness, contact with superspreaders, exposure to aerosol-generating patient care procedures
 * Poor sanitation (t he SARS virus can live on hands, tissues, and other surfaces in this droplet form for up to 6 hours. Once the droplets dry, the virus can live up to 3 hours)
 * Increasing age
 * The male sex
 * The presence of co-morbidities (the presence of two chronic diseases in one patient)
 * the viral load in infected patients
 * Living in cities and places that are densely populated (with closer contact with infected individuals, susceptibility rises)