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Among other major public health problems in the Americas, particularly along the United States-Mexico border region, are widespread apathy about dengue infection, including dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome, and environmental management. Environmental management should focus on those man-made containers and natural breeding sites that produce the greatest number of adult Aedes aegypti in each community. While working for the control of man-made and natural breeding sites of dengue vectors, public health workers should simultaneously work to modify human behavior through health education and public health communication, in order to reduce the number of breeding sites produced by the community.  Arguably, in the absence of a vaccine and effective antimicrobials, mosquito control measures should become the backbone of a dengue prevention and control program. The program must emphasize that mosquito control is a responsibility of everyone in the community, not just of those in government. Entire families must be educated and encouraged to become involved in vector elimination. Such education programs are essential for controlling Aedes aegypti breeding sites in both private areas and in public places, the environmental handling of which must consider both local customs and the need to have residents support any measures taken. Inevitably, prevention of epidemic dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome will depend upon effective, long-term mosquito control. To be cost-effective and sustainable, such control must be achieved through integrated community-based action.  Yet, one cannot help but to take into account that disease control has historically been a responsibility of government. With a disease like dengue, however, most governments do not have the resources to maintain effective control. Hence, the program developed must be integrated to provide government support for the community-based efforts.