This summarises dengue ( thanks to Maria ) :-

More detail here :- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/dengue/...roduction.aspx
Even more here :-
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publication...547871_eng.pdf ).
As we all know, dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by dengue viruses ( DV ). We also know severe forms of dengue infection can be fatal and are a leading cause of hospital admission in many parts of the world, not just Philippines. There has been a 30-fold increase in the number of dengue cases in the past 50 years.There are an estimated 50—100 million infections each year. It’s especially common in southeast Asia ( over 120,000 cases, but under 200 deaths, in Philippines in 2010 ), but dengue has spread throughout Latin America and more than half of the world's population now lives in dengue-endemic countries. Increasing numbers of travellers return from endemic regions with dengue, and there are now a few cases of locally acquired dengue in the USA and Europe. You should always tell your doctor of recent travels, if you do have fever or other symptoms after coming back to UK.
What’s new ?
The first Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dengue Day was held last June, to focus attention on dengue and the need to develop more effective prevention and control strategies. ASEAN member states represent more than 600 million individuals who bear the major part of the global burden of dengue. The ASEAN Dengue Day was an example of the shift from reactive programmes to forward planning.
A World Dengue Day has been proposed, to underscore the effects of dengue and encourage a global response. Greater awareness of the disease, together with new diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines, should help to make dengue a preventable disease.
As there is no cross-protection between the 4 DV serotypes, only a "tetravalent " vaccine – working against all 4 types - is acceptable. Despite many years of work, progress in DV vaccine development has been slow. DV grows poorly in cell culture and there is no reliable animal “ model “ for dengue ( DV only infects humans ). Tetravalent DV vaccines have so far been disappointing ( compared to " monovalent " vaccines, acting on only one type ).
However, one such vaccine, developed by France’s Sanofi Pasteur, is undergoing a 4 year “Phase III” clinical trial, the final hurdle before it becomes available to the public. I understand this is being carried out in San Pablo, Laguna and Cebu province.
It could be cut short especially if no dangerous side effects are found or if the authorities and regulatory bodies including the World Health Organization and the United States Food and Drug Administration “ fast track “ approval.
Reasons to be cheerful !