Sohu.com, one of the country's leading online portals, said that revenue had more than doubled in the three months to end-June, as wary Chinese clients stayed at home and surfed the net.

Although now largely conquered, Sars created a wave a fear across Asia and beyond, killing 812 people worldwide and infecting at least 8,400.

During the quarter, Sohu made a profit of $7.5m (�4.5m), compared with a slight loss a year earlier.

Sohu's success comes in sharp contrast to a string of Asian firms, especially in tourism and other services businesses, which have blamed the disease for a slump in trade.

Back from the brink

Along with rivals Sina and NetEase, Sohu is enjoying a period of extraordinary success.

A year ago, the Chinese online sector was in the doldrums, battered by global hi-tech gloom and the sluggish development of the once-promising domestic market.

But a revival in investor sentiment - not apparently based on any fundamental upturn - has seen their shares power back to record highs this year.

Sohu shares have risen by 450% this year, and 25-fold from a year ago, and the market now values the firm at $1.2bn.