News

Dengue research nominated for CDC award

12/03/09

• A research publication authored by Dr. Hamish Mohammed, "Dengue virus in blood donations, Puerto Rico, 2005" (Mohammed et al, Transfusion 2008; 48(7):1348-1354) is the first report to document the presence of dengue viral nucleic acid in blood donations collected in Puerto Rico. This may have implications for blood safety in dengue-endemic countries, especially in light of recently reported clusters of transfusion-transmission of dengue.
• The manuscript was subsequently nominated by the Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]) for the 2009 Charles C Shepard Science Award. Since 1985, this award has been presented to the authors of the most outstanding peer-reviewed research paper published by CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry scientists during the preceding year.