Unfortunately, one drug that has been widely tipped as a treatment for the disease does not kill the SARS virus in a petri dish, seriously denting any hope that the drug will be effective at treating SARS in people.

FORBES: Drug Does Not Work Against SARS

Scientists want to flush out these so-called reservoirs and find a way to kill the virus for good.

MSN: Two more men with HIV now virus-free. Is this a cure?

According to the CDC, it takes less than a minute for E. coli to be inactivated if chlorine levels are adequate, about 16 minutes to control Hepatitis A virus, about 45 minutes to kill off the Giardia parasite and over 10 days for a Crypto parasite.

CNN: Yuck! What's in your pool water