The main objective of this project is to prevent future SARS epidemics through control of animal and human infection. The goal should be elimination (i.e., incidence put to zero), and not only control (i.e., incidence put to an acceptable level), for low-level continuous transmission of the virus among humans would allow epidemic bursts with damaging consequences. Eradication (i.e., elimination of the virus from its animal reservoir, is not a foreseeable objective in view of our lack of knowledge about the animal reservoir).

Preventing SARS outbreaks will have an immediate impact through avoidance of the human, social and economical consequences of such epidemics. Since the disease can rapidly move across borders, the beneficiaries of improved control will not only be the countries in which most field research will take place, as China for this project, but also any other place in the world, including the European community.

International guidelines for the control of human outbreaks at the community and hospital level (see WHO guidelines and consensus document issued in October 2003 and March 2004 at http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/) will also benefit from the information generated by the project.
Inclusion of WHO and EC representatives in the Scientific Advisory Board of the project will ensure efficient communication of findings. Local dissemination in China is enforced by consultations from the onset of the project with local ministries involved (Science and Technology, Health, Agriculture, Forestry) and the inclusion of partners from the main research academia (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences), universities (Beijing University) and public health institutions (national and local Centers for Disease Control).

While the methodological approach used in this proposal evolves around epidemiological techniques (e.g., surveys or cohort studies), outputs of the project will also be beneficial to other consortiums dealing with alternative approaches to disease control: for instance, findings on animal reservoir (WP1) may be relevant to teams working on animal models; clinical manifestations of disease on serologically confirmed cases (WP 6) may prove useful to improve case definitions for epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases (task 9 of the SARS special call); the information gathered on molecular variability of the virus and host adaptation (WP 3 and 8) may be of value to those working on laboratory diagnostic tests and vaccine development (task12); finally, information on immunological response (WP9) will also be of help to vaccine developers (task 12). Gateways to other consortiums have been considered and are later described in this document.

The lessons learned in SARS control may apply to the control of other epidemic diseases. In this regard, strengthening scientific collaborations between Europe and China may prove useful to the analysis and control of other epidemic-prone diseases, such as the flu. Extending this collaboration to other areas, in the field of infectious or non-infectious diseases research, would be a desirable long-term outcome of this project.