Current status of therapy of SARS

Abstract

This chapter starts with a description of the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), followed by a review of the various drugs and supportive ventilatory strategies adopted during the 2003 SARS outbreak. The drugs highlighted in this paper include antibiotics, ribavirin, lopinavir-ritonavir (kaletra), interferon (IFN)- gamma , IFN- alpha , synthetic corticoids, immunoglobulins, and traditional medicines. The principles used to design various combinations of therapeutic agents and treatment modalities are also described.