Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus . Read about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a highly contagious, serious and potentially life-threatening form of pneumonia. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was caused by a previously unrecognized animal coronavirus that exploited opportunities provided by 'wet markets' in southern China to adapt to become a virus readily transmissible between humans. (PDF) Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus ... (Rosie Sutton) SARS is a systemic disease, especially in severe cases, in which a wide spectrum of tissue and cell types is directly infected by virus or is affected indirectly. Read about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a highly contagious, serious and potentially life-threatening form of pneumonia. Hospital infection control guidance for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This is believed to be an animal virus that recently crossed the species barrier to infect humans. L...