In response to stressors, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is expressed so two isoforms of MAPK including p38α and p38β are expressed in all tissues, while the expression of other two isoforms including p38γ and p38δ is tissue-specific so the inhibition of p38α and/or p38β MAPKs in SARS-CoV infection would be occurred by SB203580 inhibitor. Here, MAPK11 is linked to severe acute respiratory syndrome.