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CNN Live Today

Where is West Nile Virus?

Aired August 22, 2002 - 12:01   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: But first, where is the West Nile Virus? Is it spreading? That's what health officials are trying to figure out as they compare notes on new cases reported in people in four more states. Meantime, there may be new ammunition soon against the deadly virus.
With a look at all that, let's go to our Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Hi there, Sanjay.

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: How are you doing, Fredricka? It's exactly as you say. The numbers are increasing to 270 now. Just to give a little perspective, certainly 160 was the number of cases just last Friday. So the numbers have gone up by almost a third just over the past week. And experts have predicted, this is not surprising for them, because they predicted the numbers will be about 1,000 cases maybe even by the end of the season.

The worst two weeks of the season are the last week of August and the first week of September. We are getting there just about now. Thirteen deaths now, Fredricka, as well. We have been hearing some unconfirmed reports, as well, about cases in Georgia, in South Dakota. There are confirmed cases in Wyoming and Colorado. And look at the line there, you look at the map, experts say they wouldn't be surprised of that line of blue and red extends all the way to the west coast within the next couple of seasons -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, Sanjay. Let's talk about this 53-year-old Georgia man, who has not been confirmed with having West Nile, but his hospital officials in his area believe that he is dealing with those symptoms, what would it take for federal authorities to confirm it? What do they need to see or understand about his conditions in order to confirm him as another case?

WHITFIELD: Right. Well, a couple of things about that that are important. The confirmed cases actually are coming from the CDC. That's the Centers for Disease Control here in Atlanta. They are trying to have one agency in this case, the CDC, actually confirm all of the cases around the country, and that is so everyone can be sure. Basically, to confirm a case, you have to show the presence of the virus in the bloodstream or in the cerebral spinal fluid. That is the fluid that surrounds the brain in the spinal cord.

Without actually showing that that virus is present, you can't say for sure that it's a case of West Nile Virus.

And I should point as well, Fredricka, there are a lot of other things, as we've talked about, that can cause these sorts of symptoms. The flu being one of them, St. Louis virus is another one of them. There are other things that can be confused. That is why the CDC is trying to confirm all of these cases.

QUESTION: Now the FDA is weighing in. What is the latest from that organization?

GUPTA: Well, you know, people are starting to talk about treatment. You know, there really isn't a good treatment for the West Nile Virus. What has happened recently, the FDA has okayed a trial, a trial with a medication called Intron (ph) A. This is actually tacking place in Queens, New York, and 40 people who have West Nile Virus, are actually going to be enrolled in this trial to see if the medication, which essentially works as an immune booster will actually be affective against West Nile Virus.

I should point out as well, that people are looking at anti- virals. There are anti-virals that have been affected to some degree against hepatitis. There is going to be some research to see that those medications, those anti-virals are also effective against West Nile virus.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you very much.

GUPTA: Good seeing you.

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