"WHO estimates that one of the main consequences of global warming will be an increased burden of vector-borne diseases. Among these, dengue appears to be particularly problematic, with tens of millions of cases of dengue fever estimated to occur annually, including up to 500,000 cases of the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome. In recent years, the global burden of dengue disease has been rising dramatically and this prolific increase has been connected to societal changes such as population growth, urbanization and the transport of infected hosts and vectors. In addition, rising temperatures and global climate change may lead to the expansion of the range of major mosquito vectors, extension of the transmission season in areas with currently circulating dengue virus and increase in the mosquito spp. vectorial capacity. Active surveillance to detect in-coming dengue virus (DENV) in regions at the limits of DENV circulation are an important initial step in the prevention of dengue epidemics in Europe. Asymptomatic infections likely play a crucial role in the initial invasion process and DENV transmission and, although hitherto ignored, must be addressed.Using retrospective and prospective data from Asia, the main objectives of the program are (1) to identify key factors determining dengue transmission, outcome of infection and epidemics; (2) the development of novel diagnostic tools to detect asymptomatic infections. We will estimate the risk of DENV spreading to uninfected areas, especially in Southern Europe where susceptible vector exists. The major tools generated will be predictive models that enable specific interventions to reduce epidemic probability and diagnostic methods for surveillance. Inherent in this approach is the belief that improved surveillance and diagnosis of the asymptomatic dengue carriers will contribute to effective intervention, especially during early stages of pathogen invasion into a naïve region."