Rapid dengue diagnosis and interpretation.

Outbreaks of dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) pose a serious threat to more than 85 tropical and sub-tropical countries throughout the world. The World Health Organization has identified dengue to be one of the most under-reported diseases, with actual cases in the millions. It is also recognised as one of the most important and rapidly rising mosquito-transmitted infections in the world. The alar-ming increase in cases may be due to many factors, including rapid population growth, expanding urbanization, rising economies, inadequate municipal water supplies, and difficulties in handling refuse disposal. These lead to an abundance of new breeding sites for the mosquito vectors of the disease, while human migration patterns disperse vectors and viruses into new areas. National public health authorities are often unable to deal successfully with dengue outbreaks and epidemics. Although a vaccine developed in Thailand against dengue viruses is on the horizon, it will take a few years before i t becomes available.