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American Morning

Signs Mosquito-Borne West Nile Virus Could be Heading West

Aired May 16, 2002 - 08:44   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Time now to make our daily house call. There are signs this morning the mosquito-borne sometimes fatal West Nile Virus could be heading west, perhaps as far as the Rocky Mountains.

CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey says this could be the worst year yet for West Nile, and she looks at what's being done to fight the virus and its spread.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REA BLAKEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Biosafety level 3, only a level four lab where ebola or anthrax could be handled has more safety features, but this is where lab techs check for the presence of West Nile virus, in birds, in horses, in human blood, a potentially deadly virus infection transmitted by mosquitoes.

(on camera): Already here in Virginia, there have been at least two birds that have been at least two birds that have been identified as being positive with West Nile Virus, yes?

DR. ROBERT STROUBE, VIRGINIA HEALTH COMMISSIONER: Correct.

BLAKELY: How does that bode for the state? What do you think that means?

STROUBE: Well, they're a lot earlier. Last year we had birds that came in the summer, and the year before, they came in October, so they're getting earlier. This is spring, so I think that's going to mean we're probably going to have a lot more birds, and the more birds you have that show the more activity and the more likelihood humans could be infected.

BLAKEY (voice-over): West Nile Virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1999. In 2000, it was on the move, reported in 12 states. Last year, it doubled its coverage, reported in 28 states in 2001.

Now, fast forward to this spring, and a couple of weeks of steady rain throughout Northeast into Midwest. Stream levels are above normal in these regions, indicated by the black and blue dots on this map. Lots of rain on heels of a mild winter create ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

STROUBE: The warmer the weather and the wetter the weather, the more favorable the environmental conditions are for having mosquito.

DR. JIM HUGHES, CDC: We should assume that it's present in virtually all states east of the Mississippi. It's possible it will spread into Texas, into Oklahoma, to Kansas and states to the north. It's also possible, because of the way birds migrate it could show up further to the west.

STROUBE: Chances of trying to control it are virtually nil at this point in time. It's too widespread.

BLAKEY: If there is one bright spot in this story, it's the fact that most people who do become a mosquito's main course won't get sick.

(on camera): The number of people, the percentage who actually come down with West Nile Virus, is fairly small, isn't it?

STROUBE: Right, the people that are usually symptomatic are people that are older with other types of conditions, maybe a little more prone to getting infections. Those are ones you see with clinical symptoms.

BLAKEY (voice-over): So, repel the blood suckers as best you can. And avoid becoming a mosquito's buffet by staying indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early evening.

Rhea Blakey, CNN, Richmond, Va.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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