Managing SARS.

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Abstract
With regard to the article by Wenzel and Edmond (May 15 issue),1 the management of suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is not harmless. Recently, we admitted a man who had returned from Saigon and had pneumonia diagnosed at the airport. His symptoms included fever, cough, interstitial lung infiltrates, lymphopenia, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels. No microbiologic analysis of sputum was performed because of infection-prevention measures.2 Five days after empirical antibiotic therapy began, respiratory failure developed, necessitating admission to the intensive care unit. Prevention measures were then discontinued, since the patient had not been exposed to anyone with a known case of SARS, there had been no cases reported in Saigon, and polymerase-chain-reaction assays of a throat swab were negative for coronavirus.3 Finally, Burkholderia pseudomallei was found in the sputum.

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