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CNN Live At Daybreak
West Nile Virus Beginning to Show Face
Aired May 23, 2003 - 06:52 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: While much of the world is focusing on the SARS epidemic, another infection is beginning to show its face in the United States, the West Nile Virus. You've heard of that.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer joins us now live.
So, what can we expect this year as far as the West Nile Virus is concerned?
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we hope it's not going to be a repeat of last year, when West Nile spread to 44 states and the District of Columbia. Over 4,000 people in the United States were known to be infected and 284 of them died. Already this year the virus has been detected in birds, animals and mosquitoes in the six states you see highlighted on the map.
Will this be a bad year for West Nile? Well, the Northeast's cold winter probably would help kill off some of the mosquitoes, but the Qulex mosquito, one of the species that carries West Nile, can survive the winter. So it could get bad later this summer. Rain is a catch-22. It can flush out breeding sites, but drought can sometimes help mosquitoes favor what stagnant water there is and breed even more.
COSTELLO: Yes, and it's rained a lot this year in many places, so the mosquito problem is sure to be bad. And, in fact, it already is bad here in Atlanta, right?
FRYHOFER: Right. My children were at a party a week ago, were outside and got some mosquito bites and I didn't have insect repellant on them.
COSTELLO: Dr. Fryhofer.
What are the symptoms that people should look out for? Tell us about that.
FRYHOFER: Well, this is a little refresher course. You get it from the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, pregnancy and possibly even breast milk. The incubation period is three to 14 days. Only one in five people who are infected actually have symptoms and the symptoms include fever, headache and body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Less than one percent of infected people develop a more serious illness like meningitis or encephalitis.
Now, while there is no cure for West Nile, there are some ways to protect against it. You have to get rid of stagnant water where the mosquitoes breed, prevent mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and pants and don't forget to use an insect repellant that contains DEET. The higher the concentration of DEET, the longer it will protect you, up to a point. You don't need to use anything over 50 percent DEET.
For children, you need to use a lower concentration containing less than 10 percent DEET.
COSTELLO: I'm just looking at the stuff that you brought in. Skintastic's Off. That's the best for kids?
FRYHOFER: Right. Well, that has less than 10 percent. I think that's about seven percent. And we've got two other products. There's one here that has 20 percent DEET, which will give you four hours of protection, another that has 24 percent DEET, which will give you five hours of protection, and, you know, if you need to be out there longer, just reapply. And if you feel yourself being bit, reapply.
COSTELLO: Yes, definitely so. This one's unscented. That's good.
FRYHOFER: And, you know, it's the female mosquitoes that do the biting.
COSTELLO: Somehow I expected that. I'm just kidding.
Thank you, Dr. Fryhofer. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 23, 2003 - 06:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: While much of the world is focusing on the SARS epidemic, another infection is beginning to show its face in the United States, the West Nile Virus. You've heard of that.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer joins us now live.
So, what can we expect this year as far as the West Nile Virus is concerned?
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we hope it's not going to be a repeat of last year, when West Nile spread to 44 states and the District of Columbia. Over 4,000 people in the United States were known to be infected and 284 of them died. Already this year the virus has been detected in birds, animals and mosquitoes in the six states you see highlighted on the map.
Will this be a bad year for West Nile? Well, the Northeast's cold winter probably would help kill off some of the mosquitoes, but the Qulex mosquito, one of the species that carries West Nile, can survive the winter. So it could get bad later this summer. Rain is a catch-22. It can flush out breeding sites, but drought can sometimes help mosquitoes favor what stagnant water there is and breed even more.
COSTELLO: Yes, and it's rained a lot this year in many places, so the mosquito problem is sure to be bad. And, in fact, it already is bad here in Atlanta, right?
FRYHOFER: Right. My children were at a party a week ago, were outside and got some mosquito bites and I didn't have insect repellant on them.
COSTELLO: Dr. Fryhofer.
What are the symptoms that people should look out for? Tell us about that.
FRYHOFER: Well, this is a little refresher course. You get it from the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, pregnancy and possibly even breast milk. The incubation period is three to 14 days. Only one in five people who are infected actually have symptoms and the symptoms include fever, headache and body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Less than one percent of infected people develop a more serious illness like meningitis or encephalitis.
Now, while there is no cure for West Nile, there are some ways to protect against it. You have to get rid of stagnant water where the mosquitoes breed, prevent mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and pants and don't forget to use an insect repellant that contains DEET. The higher the concentration of DEET, the longer it will protect you, up to a point. You don't need to use anything over 50 percent DEET.
For children, you need to use a lower concentration containing less than 10 percent DEET.
COSTELLO: I'm just looking at the stuff that you brought in. Skintastic's Off. That's the best for kids?
FRYHOFER: Right. Well, that has less than 10 percent. I think that's about seven percent. And we've got two other products. There's one here that has 20 percent DEET, which will give you four hours of protection, another that has 24 percent DEET, which will give you five hours of protection, and, you know, if you need to be out there longer, just reapply. And if you feel yourself being bit, reapply.
COSTELLO: Yes, definitely so. This one's unscented. That's good.
FRYHOFER: And, you know, it's the female mosquitoes that do the biting.
COSTELLO: Somehow I expected that. I'm just kidding.
Thank you, Dr. Fryhofer. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
