Each type of the dengue virus is re-emerging worldwide, especially in the Western Hemisphere. Research has shown that several factors are contributing to the resurgence of dengue fever such as uncontrolled urbanization, increased international travel, substandard socio-economical conditions, and finally global warming. Global warming has shown to be a major contributor to the spread of dengue fever.

On a molecular level, dengue fever is classified as a flavivirus and appears as a spherical particle, about 40 to 50 nanometers in diameter (www.malarde.pf...). There is a lipid envelope enclosing a nucleocapsid core (www.malarde.pf/...). The dengue v

The signs and symptoms of dengue fever resemble symptoms of the common flu at first. An infected person will first experience a sudden high fever, followed by a severe headache, loss of appetite, a rash, and deep excruciating muscle and joint pains. The disease is often given the name 'breakbone fever' for the last two symptoms. The rash commonly shows up first on the torso, and spreads to the face, arms and legs. The rash usually appears three to four days after the start of the fever (Spira, 1998). The illness can last for up to ten days, but in some cases, recovery can take up to one month (Spira, 1998).

irus genome is a single-strand positive sense RNA of approximately 11 kilobases (www.malarde.pf/...). The mature virions contain three structural proteins: C (capsid), prM (membrane) and E (envelope) and 7 nonstructural proteins (www.malarde.pf/...).

Most dengue infections are mild cases. However, if a person is re-infected with a different serotype of the dengue virus, there is an increased risk of a more serious disease resulting in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). DHF causes the blood vessels to leak and causes bleeding from the nose, mouth, gums, and intestinal tract. In moderate cases of DHF all signs and symptoms subside after the fever drops. In severe cases the patient's condition may suddenly worsen. The patient's temperature may drop abruptly without warning. A rapid drop in blood pressure and signs of circulatory failure commonly follow this decline in body temperature. The blood vessels will soon start to collapse and the patient will enter into a state of shock, which can be fatal. The patient can die within a few hours or can quickly recover with immediate administration of intravenous fluids to expand the collapsing veins. With intensive supportive therapy, mortality may be reduced to less than 1 percent (Rashid, 2000).

In many countries, community education programs have been put into place to educate the population about the importance of discarding possible breeding sites such as unused buckets, containers and wells. The people of these disease-infected countries are also being made more aware of the signs and symptoms of dengue fever. This would allow for easier detection of a potential dengue epidemic in an area, not only by the infected person, but for doctors who were previously unaware of dengue fever and its effects. Government aid programs need to develop adequate lines of communication and funds to further eliminate the dengue virus. Even a lack of coordination between different governments can allow the mosquito to prosper (DeJuana, 2000).

The cause of this northern movement can not only be traced to the effects of global warming, but to airplanes that travel to and from the tropics. This increased international travel results in an exchange of dengue viruses and other pathogens. Persons infected with the dengue virus can easily and rapidly move from one city to the next, taking the virus with him or her.

The reason for this global emergence

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