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The Lancet
London, U.K.

Contact:
Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe
Director of the Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology
Cardiff University, UK
Tel. +44 (0)2920 752146
Fax +44 (0)2920 753173
Email: xdw20{at}dial.pipex.com

Richard Lane
The Lancet
+44 (0) 20 7424 4949

richard.lane{at}lancet.com

Embargo until 23 May 2003 00:01 GMT

SARS From Outer Space?

An alternative theory to the origin of severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) is proposed by scientists in a letter in this week's
issue of THE LANCET -- that the disease may have originated in outer
space. 

Chandra Wickramasinghe from Cardiff University, UK, and colleagues 
describe how around a tonne of bacteria is deposited on the earth
every day, and propose that pathogenic bacteria and viruses could
have origins in outer space. They comment on the unusual nature of
major epidemics such as the plague of Athens and the 'flu epidemic of
1917-19' where infection rates and deaths are not easily explained by
epidemiological modelling.

He comments: "With respect to the SARS outbreak, a prima facie case
for a possible space incidence can already be made. First, the virus
is unexpectedly novel, and appeared without warning in mainland
China. A small amount of the culprit virus introduced into the
stratosphere could make a first tentative fall out east of the great
mountain range of the Himalayas, where the stratosphere is thinnest,
followed by sporadic deposits in neighbouring areas. If the virus is
only minimally infective, as it seems to be, the subsequent course of
its global progress will depend on stratospheric transport and
mixing, leading to a fall out continuing seasonally over a few years.
Although all reasonable attempts to contain the infective spread of
SARS should be continued, we should remain vigilant for the
appearance of new foci (unconnected with infective contacts or with
China) almost anywhere on the planet. New cases might continue to
appear until the stratospheric supply of the causative agent becomes
exhausted." 

Peer reviewed publication and references:

THE LANCET Issue 24 May 2003

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