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CNN Live At Daybreak
The Sting Returns: West Nile Virus on the Rise
Aired August 08, 2003 - 06:49 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: As we told you earlier, it's being described as a viral hurricane. Cases of West Nile virus have tripled since last week and this has health officials concerned. Last year there were more than 4,000 human cases, including 284 deaths. And so far this year, there are more than 153 cases in 16 states, including 72 people from Colorado, 19 people from Texas, 15 from Louisiana and several people from the remaining 13 states. Four people have already died.
Here to give us more details on this is Dr. Sandra Fryhofer.
You know we haven't been hearing much about the West Nile virus this summer, and now all of a sudden...
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We are hearing about it now.
COSTELLO: Yes.
FRYHOFER: And it looks like, Carol, this year may be worse than last year. Compared to last year, there are already more cases, it's affecting more areas and it also seems to be spreading faster.
Now why Colorado, which had no human cases this time last year, has been hit the hardest is unclear. It's also being diagnosed in younger people this year as compared to last year. The median age so far this year is 45 years old as compared to 55 years old last year. Still, the older you are, the more likely you are to get the severe forms of the disease, the meningitis and the encephalitis.
So the message here is that we have to step up efforts to control the mosquitoes and prevent those mosquitoes bites. And this includes getting rid of mosquito breeding sites, the stagnate water around your yard. Also, fight the bite by wearing long sleeves, long pants and be sure to use an insect repellant that contains Deet.
Now although the most common mode of transmission is from the bite of an infected mosquito, it can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, pregnancy and possibly even breast milk.
COSTELLO: It's kind of hard to figure out if you actually have West Nile virus. Are there new tests out there that can help doctors better determine that?
FRYHOFER: There are some new tests. And one was just recently approved by the FDA and it looks for antibodies that are produced soon after infection, usually within about eight days of symptoms. Now it's supposed to be used only in people who are real sick. It's not a screening test, it's only supposed to be used on people who have severe infections, the meningitis and encephalitis, which is the inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
The FDA has also been working with blood banks, laboratories and drug manufacturers to develop tests to screen the blood supply for West Nile. Now these tests are different, they look for traces of genetic material of the -- of the virus. And although they are still experimental, they seem to be working. They have already been successful in detecting West Nile infections in blood donors who don't have any symptoms.
COSTELLO: I keep seeing the mosquitoes on that man's arm and I want to go...
FRYHOFER: Makes you want to get the Deet out, doesn't it?
COSTELLO: Exactly.
FRYHOFER: I've got some in my bag.
COSTELLO: Yes. Well, are there new medications out that can better treat West Nile, too?
FRYHOFER: The National Institute of Health is looking so hard. They have looked at over 600 compounds. About 20 to 30 are looking pretty good in the lab. The next step is to test them in animals. They is already a vaccine for horses. And there are several in the works now for people and at least one should be ready for initial testing on humans later this year, but we won't have a vaccine on the market this year.
If you get the infection you do develop antibodies, which makes you immune. The problem is we don't know exactly how long that immunity will last, so you still need to use the repellant.
COSTELLO: Yes, and we certainly will.
Thank you, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, joining us live this morning on DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 8, 2003 - 06:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As we told you earlier, it's being described as a viral hurricane. Cases of West Nile virus have tripled since last week and this has health officials concerned. Last year there were more than 4,000 human cases, including 284 deaths. And so far this year, there are more than 153 cases in 16 states, including 72 people from Colorado, 19 people from Texas, 15 from Louisiana and several people from the remaining 13 states. Four people have already died.
Here to give us more details on this is Dr. Sandra Fryhofer.
You know we haven't been hearing much about the West Nile virus this summer, and now all of a sudden...
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We are hearing about it now.
COSTELLO: Yes.
FRYHOFER: And it looks like, Carol, this year may be worse than last year. Compared to last year, there are already more cases, it's affecting more areas and it also seems to be spreading faster.
Now why Colorado, which had no human cases this time last year, has been hit the hardest is unclear. It's also being diagnosed in younger people this year as compared to last year. The median age so far this year is 45 years old as compared to 55 years old last year. Still, the older you are, the more likely you are to get the severe forms of the disease, the meningitis and the encephalitis.
So the message here is that we have to step up efforts to control the mosquitoes and prevent those mosquitoes bites. And this includes getting rid of mosquito breeding sites, the stagnate water around your yard. Also, fight the bite by wearing long sleeves, long pants and be sure to use an insect repellant that contains Deet.
Now although the most common mode of transmission is from the bite of an infected mosquito, it can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, pregnancy and possibly even breast milk.
COSTELLO: It's kind of hard to figure out if you actually have West Nile virus. Are there new tests out there that can help doctors better determine that?
FRYHOFER: There are some new tests. And one was just recently approved by the FDA and it looks for antibodies that are produced soon after infection, usually within about eight days of symptoms. Now it's supposed to be used only in people who are real sick. It's not a screening test, it's only supposed to be used on people who have severe infections, the meningitis and encephalitis, which is the inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
The FDA has also been working with blood banks, laboratories and drug manufacturers to develop tests to screen the blood supply for West Nile. Now these tests are different, they look for traces of genetic material of the -- of the virus. And although they are still experimental, they seem to be working. They have already been successful in detecting West Nile infections in blood donors who don't have any symptoms.
COSTELLO: I keep seeing the mosquitoes on that man's arm and I want to go...
FRYHOFER: Makes you want to get the Deet out, doesn't it?
COSTELLO: Exactly.
FRYHOFER: I've got some in my bag.
COSTELLO: Yes. Well, are there new medications out that can better treat West Nile, too?
FRYHOFER: The National Institute of Health is looking so hard. They have looked at over 600 compounds. About 20 to 30 are looking pretty good in the lab. The next step is to test them in animals. They is already a vaccine for horses. And there are several in the works now for people and at least one should be ready for initial testing on humans later this year, but we won't have a vaccine on the market this year.
If you get the infection you do develop antibodies, which makes you immune. The problem is we don't know exactly how long that immunity will last, so you still need to use the repellant.
COSTELLO: Yes, and we certainly will.
Thank you, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, joining us live this morning on DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM AT www.fdch.com
