Dengue fever is a disease spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito
and caused by one of four dengue viruses that are closely
related. The viruses that cause dengue fever are related to
those that cause yellow fever and West Nile virus infection.
Every year, it is estimated that at least 100 million cases of
dengue fever occur across the globe. Tropical regions remain
heavily affected. Areas that have the greatest risk of infection
include: - Sub-Saharan Africa - Central America - The Caribbean
(except the Cayman Islands and Cuba) - Pacific Islands - South
America (except Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay) - Southeast Asia
- Southern China - Northern parts of Australia Very few cases
occur in the United States. Most of the cases that are diagnosed
occur in individuals who contracted the disease while traveling
abroad. However, risk of infection is increasing for residents
of Texas that live in areas that share a border with Mexico.
Additionally, cases have been on the rise in the Southern United
States. As recently a