This new edition has been produced to make widely available to health practitioners, laboratory personnel, those involved in vector control and other public health officials, a concise source of information of worldwide relevance on dengue. The guidelines provide updated practical information on the clinical management and delivery of clinical services; vector management and delivery of vector control services; laboratory diagnosis and diagnostic tests; and surveillance, emergency preparedness and response. Looking ahead, some indications of new and promising avenues of research are also described. Additional and more detailed specific guidance on the various specialist areas related to dengue are available from other sources in WHO and elsewhere, some of which are cited in the references.This publication is intended to contribute to prevention and control of the morbidity and mortality associated with dengue and to serve as an authoritative reference source for health workers and researchers. These guidelines are not intended to replace national guidelines but to assist in the development of national or regional guidelines. They are expected to remain valid for five years (until 2014), although developments in research could change their validity, since many aspects of the prevention and control of dengue are currently being investigated in a variety of studies. The guidelines contain the most up-to-date information at the time of writing. However, the results of studies are being published regularly and should be taken into account. To address this challenge, the guide is also available on the Internet and will be updated regularly by WHO.