Molecular biology of the SARS-coronavirus

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SARS emerged as the first new plague of the twenty-first century, rapidly spreading from Guangdong Province, China, to over 8,000 people across 25 countries and territories within months. This outbreak highlighted the vulnerability of our interconnected world to emerging infections. Unlike 50 years ago, SARS's rapid global impact was fueled by globalization, increased affluence, and the demand for wild-game as exotic food, leading to live animal markets where various species cohabitated. This environment facilitated the inter-species transmission of viruses. Once a virus jumped to humans, the high mobility of people allowed for swift dissemination. For instance, an infected individual from Guangdong stayed briefly in a Hong Kong hotel, transmitting the virus to 16 guests who then spread it to Toronto, Singapore, and Vietnam, as well as within Hong Kong. The virus exploited modern intensive care practices for severe respiratory diseases and weaknesses in infection control within healthcare systems, leading to hospital outbreaks that amplified the spread. Thus, healthcare itself became a double-edged sword in the face of such infectious threats.