Experts available to discuss Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome

While many questions remain unanswered about Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome, University of Michigan experts are available to help understand what is known about SARS, the process of solving the remaining mysteries and how the public should respond to this public health threat.

--Arnold Monto, professor of epidemiology at U-M School of Public Health. Monto specializes in respiratory and enteric viruses and infectious diseases in developing countries, and is interested in how diseases are transmitted internationally. Much of his research focuses on influenza and the common cold, and he is interested in such issues as the potential for a pandemic influenza outbreak.Profile: http://www.sph.umich.edu/faculty/asmonto.html

--Rosemarie Rowney, lecturer in nursing and director of training for the U-M Bioterrorism Preparedness Initiative. Rowney can speak to the local health department role in communicable disease outbreak control, the importance of health care providers reporting communicable disease to government public health authorities, and the "dual use" training done by the U-M Academic Center for Public Health Preparedness, which is useful both in dealing with bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases. Profile: http://www.nursing.umich.edu/faculty/rowney_rosemarie.html

--Mark L. Wilson, associate professor of epidemiology, can discuss the ecology and environmental determinants of infectious disease, meaning how and why it acts as it does.Profile: http://www.sph.umich.edu/faculty/wilsonml.html

--James Koopman, professor of epidemiology. Koopman specializes in infection flow thorugh populatins and the effects of control measures on the spread of infection. He develops computer models to help understand what causes infections to spread, to help decide how to control their transmission, and to determine what new data collection is needed to make control decisions. He is interested in issues of international travel, wearing masks, and closing public events as means of controlling infection spread.Profile: http://www.sph.umich.edu/faculty/jkoopman.html

--Robert Winfield, director of University Health Service, which offers comprehensive outpatient medical services to students, faculty, staff and alumni. "The Health Service has prepared procedures for identifying and handling individuals at risk with SARS, including appropriate protection and isolation from other patients and staff in accord with CDC guidelines and recommendations. The procedures should be in place by the end of the week."Background on UHS: http://www.uhs.umich.edu/

--Matthew Boulton, clinical associate professor of epidemiology, and state epidemiologist with the Michigan Department of Community Health. Boulton's state office is responsible for communicable disease surveillance and control, among other public health functions. He is working on SARS issues for the state.Profile: http://www.sph.umich.edu/faculty/mboulton.html

World Health Organization information on SARS: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention FAQ on SARS: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/faq.htmNew York Times account of tracking SARS: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/01/health/01DOCS.html