主题：【注意】汗腺发现SARS病菌，怀疑握手也会传染 -- 西风陶陶

SARS Found in Sweat Raises Fears About Handshake Transmission

May 7 (Bloomberg) -- Researchers in China say they have found the SARS virus in sweat glands, raising concerns that a hug or a handshake might spread the disease.

From autopsies of four people who died from the disease, scientists from the First Military Medical University in Guangzhou, China, also found the virus in the intestine, kidney, stomach, lungs, pituitary gland and other organs. The findings are published in the Journal of Pathology, of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Doctors believe SARS, a respiratory disorder that infected more than 8,000 and caused 774 deaths last year, spreads mainly through infected droplets that patients cough or sneeze into the air. Findings by the Chinese researchers suggest the disease may spread through other pathways, including contaminated food, water, simple touching or kissing.

``If this transmission route is confirmed, new infection- control measures should be recommended,'' lead researcher Yanqing Ding said in the study. ``Patients may have to wear gloves, disposable gowns and eye protection, in addition to N95 masks, and to avoid kissing or touching other people.''

As expected, the virus was found predominantly in lung tissue of the people who died from SARS, the study found.

Although there is no direct evidence as yet showing that SARS can be food-borne, detection of the SARS virus in the stomach and intestine suggests ``the gastrointestinal system may also be a primary target'' of the SARS virus, the study said.

The findings also support the theory that the disease can be contracted from feces or urine. Hong Kong's biggest outbreak of SARS was linked to a leaky sewage system at the Amoy Gardens apartment complex, where 329 people became infected last year.

To contact the reporter on this story:

Angela Zimm in London at at [email protected]

To contact the editor of this story:

Mark Rohner at [email protected]

Last Updated: May 7, 2004 07:40 EDT