Rise in dengue fever.

The CDC has reported a sharp increase in the cases of dengue fever in the US from 1993 to 1998, according to the Associated Press. The agency has recorded 90 cases of laboratory-confirmed dengue fever in 1998, up from a total of 46 in 1993-1994. The rise was attributed to increased travel, especially to the Caribbean and Central America. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease, distinguished by high fever, severe headaches, and intense muscle and joint pain. Approximately 5% of those infected die from the disease.