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CNN Sunday Morning

Total of Four Anthrax Cases Now Confirmed

Aired October 14, 2001 - 08:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Now the latest on anthrax in the United States. There are four confirmed cases of exposure -- three in Florida and one in New York.

All three of those in Florida, the cases worked in the American Media office building in Boca Raton. Their coworkers and other people who have visited the building are being tested for anthrax exposure.

And in Reno, Nevada, a letter mailed to a Microsoft subsidiary has tested positive for anthrax. Several employees from the office have been tested, but the results have not been released.

Now to New York, where the latest anthrax case was discovered. CNN's Jason Carroll has that story for us -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Marty.

Late yesterday, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced that health officials have identified the source of anthrax that infected that NBC employee, a woman who has been identified as Tom Brokaw's assistant. Apparently it came from an envelope postmarked September 18 from Trenton, New Jersey.

Also, a second NBC employee who handled that very same envelope apparently has symptoms that may indicate possible -- and I want to emphasize "possible" -- exposure to anthrax. So investigators are looking into that, as well.

Initially, the investigation had focused on a letter postmarked September 25, also addressed to Brokaw, as well as a letter addressed to the "New York Times." So far, tests on those letters have turned up negative.

Brokaw's assistant has a cutaneous form of anthrax. It's a skin infection; it is normally treatable with antibiotics.

Also late yesterday, the mayor came out and did all that he could to try to calm the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK: Things in the city appear to be -- appear to be pretty normal. I think people will absorb this news about anthrax. I think they now understand a lot more about anthrax than they ever wanted to know. But there are things about it that they should be reminded of: It is not contagious; it can be treated and cured. And the reality is that the treatment for it that exists is effective.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Health officials here at NBC have set up a clinic at the headquarters to test the employees. We're told that so far about 350 employees have been tested.

Also this morning we had an opportunity to speak with one of those employees. We asked him about what happened during the test. He said that the doctors took swabs from his nostrils. He also said that he was prescribed an antibiotic.

Again, this measure is being done as a precautionary step only -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Jason, thank you very much.

There are a lot of people who have a lot of questions about anthrax, for instance: What is it? How is it detected?

Here with some answers, CNN medical correspondent Rhonda Rowland.

We've been hearing a lot of different ways that this powder or whatever has been discovered. Some say a white powder; others say it's sort of like sand -- grainy. And then there's been, even, talk of photographs.

Is there any real way to know by touching, feeling?

RHONDA ROWLAND, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well that's a question that we had. And we were telling everybody on Friday, when we heard about the New York case, that this was possibly a white powder, that infectious disease specialists said you would know if you were exposed. You would know if there was a powder, if it poofed up. And so, in that case, you would know there was something suspicious and you could take action.

Now we're hearing about the gritty sand, that actually it was not white powder in New York, it was a gritty sand. And then we're hearing about just the photographs.

So I talked to an infectious disease expert with the CDC last evening to try to get a handle on this, and the different ways that anthrax can be dispersed.

And I was told that they're really learning new things, that apparently anthrax can be mixed up in different ways, and they didn't real -- have real clear answers.

But what they can say is that you would know if you received something suspicious. You leave it alone. You can wash your hands with soap and water, so you can easily decontaminate. So that's at least something very encouraging, something, Marty, you can do.

And also, with all of these cases, it is self-contained. It's to a limited area. Anthrax is not contagious. So if there is a letter in the building, only the people in that area may possibly be exposed.

SAVIDGE: Now, I presume that the spores themselves are not visible to the human eye. But what we're looking at is whatever means of transmission.

ROWLAND: That's right. And that's what they're learning about. You're right. You cannot see, taste or smell anthrax.

And really, experts only have historical information to deal with. When we talk about the skin form, the cutaneous form of anthrax. They're dealing with historical information from people who have dealt with animals, with goat hair, with skinning animals -- that's what their experience is. So they may be learning as they go along.

But again, Marty, they are getting the information out to the public as soon as they get it.

SAVIDGE: We're also hearing of these five additional exposures in Florida. Is the CDC concerned or saying anything about those?

ROWLAND: Well these five possible additional cases down in Florida -- we're hearing it from "The New York Times," The Associated Press -- people testing positive -- positive antibodies in their blood for anthrax. And my contacts at the CDC say that none of these tests have been confirmed. And we're hearing the same thing from health officials down in Florida. So no confirmation on five additional cases in Florida.

And Marty, it's also important to know once again as soon as health officials get this information in they are releasing it to Florida.

And with the NBC employee, when they first did her test -- they had a skin biopsy that was positive and they had clinical signs that were positive -- the characteristic skin rash as well as a low-grade fever. And they're calling it a presumed case.

And the way you get a definite case is to have a culture, usually from a blood test. And they were not able to get this from the employee. But again, because of the public health interest in this, they immediately came out and announced that information even though, Marty, scientists like to have a neat and tidy diagnosis. And the reason they probably don't have that culture and they never get it is this employee was started on antibiotics. The antibiotics can kill the bacteria.

So the encouraging thing I can say is information is coming out as health officials get it.

SAVIDGE: All right, I know you have to go. But you said hand washing was one thing. What about using those antibacterial gels that people sometimes use?

ROWLAND: Well, those are good things for people to use to keep their hands clean, but the health officials have said, go and wash your hands with soap and water. If you think you see something on your clothing, remove the clothing. You want to get away from the exposure.

SAVIDGE: Rhonda Rowland, thanks very much. It's reassuring to all of us; appreciate it.

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