Table 1.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Case Definition for SARS3, 4^*

Clinical criteria Asymptomatic or mild respiratory illness Moderate respiratory illness Temperature >100.4°F (>38°C) and One or more clinical findings of respiratory illness (eg, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty with breathing, or hypoxia) Severe respiratory illness Temperature >100.4°F (>38°C) and One or more clinical findings of respiratory illness (eg, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty with breathing, or hypoxia) AND Radiographic evidence of pneumonia or ARDS or Autopsy findings consistent with pneumonia or ARDS without an identifiable cause Epidemiological criteria Travel (including transit in an airport) within 10 days of onset of symptoms to an area with current or recently documented or suspected community transmission of SARS† OR Close contact within 10 days of onset of symptoms with a person known or suspected to have SARS infection Laboratory criteria Confirmed Detection of antibody to SARS-CoV in specimens obtained during acute illness or >21 days after illness onset or Detection of SARS-CoV RNA by RT-PCR confirmed by a second PCR assay, by using a second aliquot of the specimen and a different set of PCR primers or Isolation of SARS-CoV Negative Absence of antibody to SARS-CoV in convalescent serum obtained >21 days after symptom onset Undetermined Laboratory testing either not performed or incomplete Case classification Probable case Meets the clinical criteria for severe respiratory illness of unknown etiology with onset since November 1, 2002, and epidemiological criteria; laboratory criteria confirmed, negative, or undetermined Suspect case Meets the clinical criteria for moderate respiratory illness of unknown etiology with onset since November 1, 2002, and epidemiological criteria; laboratory criteria confirmed, negative, or undetermined

^*ARDS = acute respiratory distress syndrome; RT-PCR = reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; SARS = severe acute respiratory syndrome; SARS-CoV = SARS coronavirus.

^†Travel criteria for suspect or probable US cases of SARS. Last date of illness onset for inclusion as a reported case: China (mainland), Hong Kong, Taiwan, Toronto, ongoing; Hanoi, Vietnam, May 25, 2003; Singapore, June 4, 2003.