Researchers from the Heller School’s Schneider Institutes for Health Policy and the Faculty of Public Health at Mahidol University, Thailand, held an international workshop on Dengue Burden Studies in Bangkok, Thailand from June 26 through June 30, 2006.  The 14 participants came from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the United States.  The workshop served as a means for capacity building and mutual cooperation, while analyzing data collected from 400 patients hospitalized for dengue and planning the dissemination of results.

The Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative (PDVI) is sponsoring studies of the epidemiologic and socioeconomic impact of dengue fever on patients, households, medical providers, and governments.  The objective of the workshop, also sponsored by PDVI, was to analyze the data collected in these studies in the researchers’ home countries.  Schneider’s Dr. José Suaya, Ph.D. ’06, and Dr. Sukhontha Kongsin of Mahidol University coordinated the workshop.  Dr. Donald Shepard of The Schneider Institutes, Principal Investigator of dengue burden studies, and Dr. Richard Mahoney, Director of Vaccine Access of PDVI, participated via teleconference.  Schneider’s Clare Hurley, M.M. ’05, Research Coordinator, provided logistical support. 

This is the second international workshop on Dengue Burden Studies organized by Schneider Institute researchers.  The first was held in May on the Brandeis campus, and included researchers from Central and South America.