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CNN Live Today

West Nile Researchers Uncover Flawed Gene in Mice

Aired August 20, 2002 - 12:13   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We move on to the West Nile virus, and why some victims become so much sicker than others. The virus has spread to dozens of states, and 11 people have died.
CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins me now with word on a possible West Nile gene?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

LIN: It's an indicator that you might be more susceptible to it.

GUPTA: Exactly. And you know, it's been a little confusing, because, you know, we keep hearing that 1 in 5 people will actually get sick if they contract the West Nile virus; that is get exposed or get bitten by a mosquito who has it. And along, we've been saying, listen, if you're older, if you're immunocompromised, meaning that you have a disease like diabetes or heart disease, you're going to fall into that group.

We are finding out some interesting things, that actually the average age of people who are developing symptoms is about 54. It's not that old. They thought it was going to be in the 70s or 80s.

The interesting thing that we're hearing now, Carol, is that in Paris, they are finding that there is a gene. It is in mice right now. But if the gene is defective in these mice, those mice almost universally die of West Nile virus. If they have a normal gene, then they almost universally live.

This is an important point, because if they find the same sort of gene variation in human beings, that might be a target for particular drugs. We can fix that gene and make everyone essentially impervious to it.

LIN: Can you be tested see if you have that gene right now, so that you should take extra precautions?

GUPTA: They are able to test it in mice right now. They have even given it a name. So they are really getting to the point now where they can actually draw some blood and find out if you have the defective gene. I've got to say, we are not there in human beings yet. It's hard to say how long it would take to translate those mice studies into human beings.

But because of the increasing cases and the increasing deaths, it's certainly on a lot of people's minds. LIN: Public health officials have been saying it is the elderly, it is the people with defective immune systems who are the most vulnerable.

GUPTA: That's right.

LIN: Does that still stand, then?

GUPTA: That still stands for sure, and people are finding that people who are actually dying from this, you know, not just getting sick, but dying, are still people who have had other health problems.

And just to reiterate, Carol, you know, this West Nile virus is here to stay in this country. We have seen the maps. We'll show it again here. It started off in 1999 just in New York State, and now you can see it's over half the country. Experts say they would not be surprised if you see that line of blue and green actually extend all the way to your former home state, California.

LIN: Oh, geez!

GUPTA: And that's what experts say is going to happen probably.

LIN: So do you think at some point a vaccination will be developed, then?

GUPTA: Well, you know, the interesting thing is, it's still very small numbers, Carol. You know, it's scary.

LIN: Yes.

GUPTA: But there have still been 11 deaths. In order for all of the research to go into actually developing a vaccine, quite honestly, we're probably going to have to see some higher numbers, some high numbers of people actually affected by this. But we're not there. You know, the flu still kills 100,000 people.

This gene thing is an interesting point. We're going to keep tabs on it.

LIN: Right. I think it's just more -- I don't know -- psychologically acceptable to accept that we're going to catch a bug or maybe get in a car accident. But when you think of a mosquito...

GUPTA: That's right. They are everywhere.

LIN: ... you know, nowhere to hide.

GUPTA: Yes, exactly.

LIN: Thank you very much, Sanjay Gupta.

GUPTA: Good seeing you, Carol.

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