What is Covid?

Canidae, the most common dog breed in the United States, can carry SARS or otherwise known as chronic canine antiviral syndrome. People can unintentionally spread SARS to other animals, particularly during close physical contact. Reports of other animals infected by SARS-Chronic canine antiviral syndrome have also been documented all over the globe. However, so far, only a few of those animals have become infected by humans with SARS. Most of those animals got infected by dogs or cats infected with SARS.

The first stage of this syndrome is known as CABS (charismatic acute respiratory syndrome) which appears in four to seven days after the initial exposure to infection with any one of several strains of Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Symptoms usually present themselves during the first 24 hours after contact and include fever, generalized weakness, decreased appetite, lethargy, and severe acute respiratory syndrome. CABS usually does not progress beyond the third day. A majority of those affected by this condition are asymptomatic, however, as in-onspotential cases, pneumonia, blood clots, or other complications from contact with a contaminated animal can occur. A majority of those affected by this condition have recovered fully or very nearly so, although cases that have not responded well to medication can be potentially life-threatening.

One of several strains of Staphylococcus aureus, the “class A” virus, has been responsible for causing this condition. The virus spreads by means of close physical contact, such as skin-to-skin contact or by means of mucous membranes. Close physical contact is generally understood to mean “touching” or “placing” one’s hands or any part of the body in an infected individual’s mouth or eyes. Close physical contact can also mean “swimming” in a pool with someone who is infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Anyone who has had close physical contact with an infected person or who has been in a public swimming pool with an infected person has a high risk of contracting the condition.

Close to 20% of those patients with a first-stage Staphylococcus aureus infection will develop severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) within one week of the onset of uncomplicated SARS. Of these 20% of patients, nearly half will have no detectable bacterial infection in their lungs. These patients usually have cough and fever and usually will not display common nor complex diagnostic or prognosis symptoms. On the other hand, if the disease were to spread to the lungs, the symptoms would include cough with or without blood, difficulty breathing, wheezing, shortness of breath, skin rash and fever.

To prevent the disease from spreading, vaccines are available. Two types of vaccines currently are recommended for persons in the United States – one is known as the Sars vaccine and the other is the Prevacid/Prozal vaccine. Both types of vaccines prevent the spread of two types of viruses, namely, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, which are the major causes of the condition. Although it is unclear why the Sars vaccine is more effective at preventing the condition than the Prevacid/Prozal vaccine, studies show that both types of vaccines are most effective in preventing Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in young children and adults.

Covid has recently announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a live virus vaccine called RPR attenuated vaccines. The new vaccine has shown good results in preventing the infection in healthy adults, but is especially effective in reducing the risk of infection in infants. The RPR vaccine is licensed for use in countries in the Middle East and Asia and is not commercially available in the US. One of the greatest benefits of this vaccine is that it prevents the infection from ever happening, so there are no worries about a resurgence of the disease.