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CORVALLIS - Oregon State University will host a conversation on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) on Thursday, April 17, to help educate students and the community about the disease.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. in the university's Memorial Union Lounge. It is free and open to the public. It will feature Dr. Lora Jasman, director of Student Health Services at the university; Linda Reid, OSU Student Health Services nursing manager; Tom Eversole, Benton County Health Department administrator; and Charlie Fautin, Benton County Health Department deputy administrator.

"We want to share what we are doing at Student Health Services and at Oregon State University regarding SARS," said Susan Poole, health services relations administrator at OSU.

SARS is a respiratory illness that has recently been reported in Asia, North America and Europe. It usually begins with a fever with patients eventually developing a dry cough that can progress to the point where insufficient oxygen is getting to the blood. There is no known cure for SARS.

"We've had no documented cases of SARS in Oregon to date," Jasman said. "Nevertheless, students' concern about this illness is certainly understandable. We have a procedure in place to deal with suspected cases at Student Health Services. Students are encouraged to help prevent the spread of respiratory infections of all types by getting adequate rest, covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, and washing their hands frequently."

More than a hundred students at the university are from China, a country hit hard by the SARS virus. China is also a common destination for university lecturers and researchers.

"We are in communication with OSU International Education and other programs that support international students as well as faculty travel abroad," Poole said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established a list of frequently asked questions about the disease that can be found on the web at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/faq.htm.