Since SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) was first recognized in February 2003, there has been a lot of information in the press and on the web on the use of infrared equipment to detect persons infected with SARS.
Recent efforts to control the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have prompted public health officials to develop a rapid screening process to detect air travelers who are experiencing an elevated body temperature. Because high fever is a symptom of SARS, many have proposed using thermal imaging cameras as a means to rapidly identify potential SARS carriers as they pass through airports. Although the use of infrared instruments to measure body surface temperatures has many advantages, there are human, environmental, and equipment variables that can affect the accuracy of collected data.
SARS has shown to be readily spread through international air travel. Since its initial discovery in Hanoi, Vietnam, SARS has spread globally along international air travel routes and has now been reported on six continents. While much about SARS is still unknown, it is believed to be caused by a previously unknown member of the Coronaviradae Family of viruses. Presently, there is no vaccine or treatment for SARS; the most effective response is isolation, infection control and contact tracing.
