Health Journal Entry
Scientists Trace SARS to Animals (May 30, 2003)
The masked palm civet is one of the species found with the SARS virus in southern China. University of Hong Kong.
Chinese scientists say they have found evidence of the SARS virus in three species of mammals sold in live-animal food markets in southern China. Samples of blood and wastes taken from the animals showed signs of a coronavirus very similar to the one that causes SARS. Researchers suspect the virus first spread to humans from an animal because many of the early cases were food workers in southern China.
The three species are the masked palm civet (a cat-sized relative of the mongoose), the raccoon dog, and the Chinese ferret badger. These and other exotic animals are commonly sold in the markets of Guangdong Province, where the SARS epidemic likely began in November. Since then, more than 8,000 people have become sick from the disease worldwide and about 700 have died, according to the World Health Organization. Most of the cases have been in China and Hong Kong.
To stop the spread of the disease, Guangdong banned the eating and trading of wild animals this week. The ban includes civets as well as monkeys, snakes, bats, and other animals.
