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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Daniel Blumenthal

Aired May 17, 2003 - 18:43   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The SARS outbreak has received, of course, enormous, some might even say, overblown attention here in the U.S., but a potentially more deadly seasonal threat kicks off in the spring, of course, from mosquitoes. Bites from mosquitoes can spread the West Nile Virus, disease unheard of in this country just a few years ago.
Last year more than 4,000 people contracted West Nile; almost 300 people died from the disease. Joining me for more right now on the threat of West Nile Dr. Daniel Blumenthal, is the chairman of the Community Health and Prevention Medicine Department at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Doctor, thanks for being with us.

DR. DANIEL BLUMENTHAL, MOREHOUSE MEDICAL SCHOOL: My pleasure.

COOPER: I mean, the SARS has gotten all the publicity, but if you look at, as we just said, the number of deaths and the number of illnesses, West Nile is much more of a threat.

BLUMENTHAL: Well, that's exactly right. And, of course, SARS has got any publicity over the last few weeks when it has been a problem that everything would tell us that SARS, that West Nile is going to be much more of a problem this summer for us, certainly.

COOPER: And a problem in the summer because?

BLUMENTHAL: ... because it's spread by mosquitoes, and mosquitoes, of course are with us in the summer.

COOPER: So, what other things -- some things people can do? Obviously, you know, bring a mosquito repellent and the light, but is there anything else they can do?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, first of all, we'd like to see them exercise the mosquito control around their own homes, by getting rid of standing water, for instance, flower pots or petals. Mosquitoes like tall grass, so by cutting down the weeds and that sort of thing. And then they can do the kinds of personal preventive things that you suggested, such us mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves, not going out on the evening, when mosquitoes tend to bite, that sort of thing.

COOPER: It's so interesting how the media often plays these stories. Because for a while there, West Nile was suddenly front page of "Newsweek," front page of "TIME" and all these magazines, everyone was in hysterics over it, sort of went away, but problem still remains. How bad is it in just sort of in the general -- has it lessened than the way it used to be?

BLUMENTHAL: Of course, it went away because we came to the end of the mosquito season last fall, and so you wouldn't expect to see any during the winter. But I think that everything we know about the way viruses of this kind are spread, would say to us that we are going to have more of a problem this summer, probably, than we did last summer.

COOPER: Because the weather, more rain...

BLUMENTHAL: True, that's certainly one thing. We've had a very wet spring, and that's conducive to mosquito propagation. So we are likely to see a lot of mosquitoes this summer and therefore, a lot of West Nile. And the other thing is -- if you just watch the pattern of the disease over the last two years, it's been spreading in the U.S., and there are still a few states in the West that have not seen any West Nile. I think, the smart money would predict that they are probably going to see some this summer.

COOPER: What are the symptoms, that people should be on the watch for?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, most people who get infected, actually have very mild symptoms, it's kind of a mild flue-like illness, but for a very few, they may suffer from meningitis or encephalitis, which is a very serious nervous system infection, with headache and stiff neck and high fever, and a very small number wound up dying.

COOPER: But that's how they'll first recognize the symptoms: Headache, fever.

BLUMENTHAL: That's right.

COOPER: OK. But in terms of the people end up dying, I mean, it is small number compared to the number of people who get this. What is the treatment?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, there is no specific treatment for the disease, so it's just supportive. So we hope that we'll be able to prevent it both with the personal protective measures that we've talked about and with public health measures, with the public health departments both at the state level and the local level, engaging in mosquitoes control measures to help keep the mosquitoes population down.

COOPER: All right, Dr. Blumenthal, thanks for being with us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

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 17, 2003 - 18:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The SARS outbreak has received, of course, enormous, some might even say, overblown attention here in the U.S., but a potentially more deadly seasonal threat kicks off in the spring, of course, from mosquitoes. Bites from mosquitoes can spread the West Nile Virus, disease unheard of in this country just a few years ago.
Last year more than 4,000 people contracted West Nile; almost 300 people died from the disease. Joining me for more right now on the threat of West Nile Dr. Daniel Blumenthal, is the chairman of the Community Health and Prevention Medicine Department at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Doctor, thanks for being with us.

DR. DANIEL BLUMENTHAL, MOREHOUSE MEDICAL SCHOOL: My pleasure.

COOPER: I mean, the SARS has gotten all the publicity, but if you look at, as we just said, the number of deaths and the number of illnesses, West Nile is much more of a threat.

BLUMENTHAL: Well, that's exactly right. And, of course, SARS has got any publicity over the last few weeks when it has been a problem that everything would tell us that SARS, that West Nile is going to be much more of a problem this summer for us, certainly.

COOPER: And a problem in the summer because?

BLUMENTHAL: ... because it's spread by mosquitoes, and mosquitoes, of course are with us in the summer.

COOPER: So, what other things -- some things people can do? Obviously, you know, bring a mosquito repellent and the light, but is there anything else they can do?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, first of all, we'd like to see them exercise the mosquito control around their own homes, by getting rid of standing water, for instance, flower pots or petals. Mosquitoes like tall grass, so by cutting down the weeds and that sort of thing. And then they can do the kinds of personal preventive things that you suggested, such us mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves, not going out on the evening, when mosquitoes tend to bite, that sort of thing.

COOPER: It's so interesting how the media often plays these stories. Because for a while there, West Nile was suddenly front page of "Newsweek," front page of "TIME" and all these magazines, everyone was in hysterics over it, sort of went away, but problem still remains. How bad is it in just sort of in the general -- has it lessened than the way it used to be?

BLUMENTHAL: Of course, it went away because we came to the end of the mosquito season last fall, and so you wouldn't expect to see any during the winter. But I think that everything we know about the way viruses of this kind are spread, would say to us that we are going to have more of a problem this summer, probably, than we did last summer.

COOPER: Because the weather, more rain...

BLUMENTHAL: True, that's certainly one thing. We've had a very wet spring, and that's conducive to mosquito propagation. So we are likely to see a lot of mosquitoes this summer and therefore, a lot of West Nile. And the other thing is -- if you just watch the pattern of the disease over the last two years, it's been spreading in the U.S., and there are still a few states in the West that have not seen any West Nile. I think, the smart money would predict that they are probably going to see some this summer.

COOPER: What are the symptoms, that people should be on the watch for?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, most people who get infected, actually have very mild symptoms, it's kind of a mild flue-like illness, but for a very few, they may suffer from meningitis or encephalitis, which is a very serious nervous system infection, with headache and stiff neck and high fever, and a very small number wound up dying.

COOPER: But that's how they'll first recognize the symptoms: Headache, fever.

BLUMENTHAL: That's right.

COOPER: OK. But in terms of the people end up dying, I mean, it is small number compared to the number of people who get this. What is the treatment?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, there is no specific treatment for the disease, so it's just supportive. So we hope that we'll be able to prevent it both with the personal protective measures that we've talked about and with public health measures, with the public health departments both at the state level and the local level, engaging in mosquitoes control measures to help keep the mosquitoes population down.

COOPER: All right, Dr. Blumenthal, thanks for being with us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com