By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kentucky health officials say it could be weeks before they confirm whether a Northern Kentucky resident with SARS-like symptoms actually has the disease.

Although Kentucky has three suspected SARS cases and one probable case, local health officials say there is no need for panic.

The Tristate's first suspected case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is doing well under voluntary home isolation, said Peggy Patterson, spokeswoman for the Northern Kentucky Independent District Health Department.

"All of the appropriate tests have been done, but we feel this person is doing very well," Patterson said. "In talking with the state (health officials), we don't think there's any reason to alert the general public."

Blood samples and other specimens from the suspected Northern Kentucky SARS case have been sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said Gwenda Bond, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services. The CDC will do an antibody test to check for the presence of the coronavirus that's believed to cause SARS.

"The antibody test takes at least 10 days, but it could be longer before we hear anything," Bond said. "The CDC is a little backed up checking specimens from other states."

A "suspected" SARS patient is defined by three symptoms:

• A cough.

• A fever of 100.5 degrees or higher.

• Has recently traveled to mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan or Toronto.

"Probable" SARS patients have all of that, plus a chest X-ray that shows pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome.

The incubation period for SARS is typically two to seven days, sometimes as much as 10, the CDC says.

No Northern Kentucky hospital has seen suspected SARS cases, but employees have been screening patients since mid-March.

"As patients come in with pneumonia-like symptoms or doctors' offices call, we ask them about travel outside the country or exposure to someone who's been sick and recently traveled outside the country," said Karla Webb, spokeswoman for St. Elizabeth Medical Center, with hospitals in Covington, Edgewood and Williamstown.

Anyone suspected of having the disease would be isolated, and health care workers treating them would wear masks and other protective clothing, she said.

"We stay in close touch with the health department and continue to monitor alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Webb said.

Similar practices are in place for St. Luke Hospital West in Florence and St. Luke East in Fort Thomas, said Ginny Lipke, infection control practitioner for the two hospitals.

Any patient suspected of having SARS would be isolated in a negative pressure room where air is vented to the outside, Lipke said. Staff would wear masks, gloves and gowns, and practice good hand washing.

"People need to keep their concerns in perspective," Bond said. "Thirty-six thousand people died from the flu last year, but there have been no deaths in the U.S. from SARS."

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com