The only antidepressant with a half-life substantially in excess of 24 hours is fluoxetine. The parent drug has a half-life of 2 to 4 days and norfluoxetine, its active metabolite, has a half-life of 7 to 15 days. This half-life is even longer at doses above 20 mg/day in physically healthy older patients.
Toxic shock syndrome, or TSS, is a very rare and life-threatening bacterial infection. Some women can be affected by toxic shock syndrome from certain types of tampon, but men and children can also get TSS. Toxic shock syndrome can also be caused by boils, insect bites, scalds, burns or other wounds being infected by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of pneumonia. It is caused by a virus that was first identified in 2003. Infection with the SARS virus causes acute respiratory distress (severe breathing difficulty) and sometimes death. SARS is caused by a member of the coronavirus family of viruses (the same family that can cause the common cold). It is believed the 2003 epidemic started when the virus spread from small mammals in China. When someone with SARS coughs or sneezes, infected droplets spray into the air.