Dengue fever is common and may be increasing in Southeast Asia.
Dengue fever is a flu-like illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. One major difference, however, is that malaria is often eradicated in major cities, whereas dengue is often found in urban areas of developed tropical nations, including singapore, taiwan, indonesia, and brazil. Caused by one of four closely related virus serotypes of the genus flavivirus, family flaviviridae, each serotype is sufficiently different that there is no cross-protection and epidemics caused by multiple serotypes can occur. Dengue is transmitted to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which feeds during the day. The mosquito flourishes during rainy seasons but can breed in water-filled flower pots, plastic bags, and cans year round. One mosquito bite can inflict the disease.