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CNN Live Sunday

Interview with Dr. Philip Tierno

Aired October 21, 2001 - 15:37   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani appointed a bioterrorism task force. The 12 member group is working with federal, state and local officials, focusing no the threats posed by bioterrorist attacks.

Joining us now from New York is a member of that group, Dr. Philip Tierno. He's the director of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology at NYU and Mt. Sinai Medical Centers and the author of the upcoming book. And the name of that book is "The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons from a Microbe Hunter."

Dr. Tierno, nice to have you join us. Thank you.

PHILIP TIERNO, MT. SINAI-NYU MEDICAL CENTERS: Thank you.

KELLEY: What's the task force doing right now?

TIERNO: Well, the task force is working with the CDC, local and federal and military advisers.

KELLEY: And then what's the challenge ahead? What are you trying to put into place? And what's the greatest threat, as you see it?

TIERNO: I think the greatest threat right now is the lack of awareness on part of some individuals with regard to the panic that occurs in this city.

KELLEY: Well, you know, we have some folks here who have family in New York. And talking to us earlier this afternoon, they said people are scared. A lot of the people in New York are scared. You don't want them to panic, but what are you doing to reassure them so that they don't?

TIERNO: I think if anything can be considered a benefit from this particular episode is the rapid response that Mayor Giuliani and the groups involved with him to contain this particular event. It's an exemplary situation. And I think in reality, if people understand that, I think this will allay some of their fears.

KELLEY: And what should they understand? Is there enough antibiotic? Is it very treatable? All these things that we've heard about? Is that helping? TIERNO: There is a great deal of antibiotics available, not only the quinolones (ph) is Ciprofloxicine, but there are other antibiotics that are just as useful at treating anthrax, especially the cutaneous form. Penicillins, for example, are quite good. And so too are the tetracyclenes.

I think that the public should not panic to the degree that it has and should rest assured that, as I said, if anything, a good comes out of this it's the fact that we are in a training mode and being exposed to this particular episode has put us on an alert that is unprecedented in history.

KELLEY: Well, and even former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was on our air here on CNN with Wolf Blitzer just an hour or two ago. And she said a good part of this can be psychological. So will that be a part of your task force duties, to try and make sure that mentally and emotionally, people understand what the real threat is?

TIERNO: I don't speak for the task force per se. I'm an adviser to the mayor on matters of microbiology.

KELLEY: Well, would that be one of the things that you would tell him, that we have to get the folks and make them understand what the real threat is?

TIERNO: I think he's already aware of the fact that we have a great handle on this situation and people shouldn't panic. He's advising them to do things as part of the routine. If you look at matters, in reality, we've just had a handful of people or two handfuls that were infected. And most of those were adequately treated.

And cutaneous anthrax is not a great problem. I think that people should not panic to the degree that they are.

KELLEY: OK, Dr. Philip Tierno with Mt. Sinai-NYU Medical Centers. Your book is "The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons from a Microbe Hunter." Appreciate your being with us and your information with us today. Thanks.

TIERNO: Thank you.

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