he MeSH Section announces the addition of a new MeSH descriptor, SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME, following the issuing of a global alert by the World Health Organization for the outbreak of this new disease. Indexing with the new descriptor began March 25, 2003. Citations with this descriptor may be retrieved in PubMed beginning March 28, 2003; and seen in Index Medicus beginning with the May 2003 issue.

The new descriptor is not listed in the printed MeSH tools as it was added after the MeSH tools were published. It was available in the MeSH Browser on March 31, 2003. You may want to add the following to your printed MeSH tools:

SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME

C02.782.600.550.200.750 [updated 4/25/2003]

C08.730.730

do not confuse with RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (of infants) or RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME, ADULT; do not confuse abbreviation, SARS, with SAR used for STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP or scaffold attachment regions (genetics) use BASE SEQUENCE

A viral disorder characterized by high FEVER, dry COUGH, shortness of breath (DYSPNEA) or breathing difficulties, and atypical PNEUMONIA. A virus in the genus CORONAVIRUS is the suspected agent. [updated 4/25/2003]

X Respiratory Syndrome, Severe Acute

Please note: The scope note and tree number were altered since the exact causal agent (virus) has been confirmed. Check the MeSH Browser for the most recent changes. [updated 4/25/2003]

Related note: For more information on the new MeSH descriptor, SARS Virus, added on April 21, 2003 see SARS Virus Added as New MeSH Descriptor. NLM Tech Bull. 2003 Mar-Apr;(331):e12. [added 4/25/2003]

For the latest information on this disease, search these Web sites:

By Allan Savage
MeSH Section

Savage A. New MeSH Descriptor: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). NLM Tech Bull. 2003 Mar-Apr;(331):e5.