Since atypical pneumonia was found in some areas in China, the World Health Organization has been highly concerned with the epidemic and its prevention and control. Starting from March this year, WHO has sent three teams of experts to China to provide technical support to Chinese experts in terms of epidemiology, etiology and clinical diagnosis and treatment as well as control measures of atypical pneumonia. The WHO experts fully affirmed the treatment of atypical pneumonia patients as well as control of the epidemic in China, and gave high appraisal to the standard of diagnosis of atypical pneumonia and relevant treatment measures, which had been developed in China. They also recommended that WHO revise and further improve its publicized standard of diagnosis based on the Chinese standard of diagnosis. The WHO expert team concluded that China has accumulated rich experiences in the prevention and treatment of atypical pneumonia, and has worked out a set of effective measures to contain the disease and to save the patients; the experiences would be very valuable references for other countries. WHO has promised to provide active technical support and diagnostic reagent according to the suggestions made by the experts from both sides. The Chinese Ministry of Health has appointed relevant organizations to join in the Globe Atypical Pneumonia Epidemiology, Laboratory and Clinic Networks, established by WHO, to enhance information communication with other countries and to share research results in order to make a breakthrough in the prevention and treatment.

(China.org.cn April 10, 2003)