WHAT

CDC, NIH and PAHO will host a telephone-only media briefing to discuss the latest developments in dengue virus research and the epidemiology of the disease in the Americas. The telebriefing, which is in connection with a Feb. 16-18 scientific meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico on this topic, is an opportunity for media not attending the conference to learn the latest information on this emerging infectious disease and to ask questions of leading experts.

Conference topics span a broad spectrum of research areas including the biology and disease-causing mechanisms of dengue viruses and how they spread in communities, interact with mosquitoes, and affect the human immune system. Researchers also will present information about the most severe forms of the disease and progress being made in the development of diagnostic tests, treatments and vaccines.

WHO

• Harold Margolis, M.D., Director, Dengue Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health
• Jose Luis San Martin, M.D., Regional Advisor on Dengue, Pan American Health Organization

WHEN

Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 12:00pm ET (1:00pm Puerto Rico time)

DIAL-IN

Media: 888-795-0855
Non-Media: 888-790-1782
International: 1-517-308-9214
Passcode: CDC Media

Important Instructions: If you would like to ask a question during the Q&A portion of the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending.

LISTEN-ONLY AUDIO WEBCAST

This press briefing media will also be available via listen-only audio web site at http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=77012. We strongly encourage non-media participants to use the webcast.

TRANSCRIPT

A transcript of this media availability will be available following the briefing at the CDC web site at www.cdc.gov/media.