Only recently have public health officials in developed countries become concerned about the increased transmission and geographic spread of DENV. In many cases this is due to the increase in cases imported by tourists from less-developed tropical regions. For the United States, there has been a marked increase in imported cases and autochthonous transmission in Texas and Hawaii during this decade (Morens and Fauci 2008) and for the first time we have been able to document the introduction of a virulent DENV genotype into this country (CDC 2007; Rico-Hesse 2007) . This has added a sense of urgency to research using some of the models described here and a hope for additional support for studies of this long-neglected tropical disease. Tylosema esculentum (Marama) Tuber and Bean Extracts Are Strong Antiviral Agents against Rotavirus Infection Tylosema esculentum (marama) beans and tubers are used as food, and traditional medicine against diarrhoea in Southern Africa. Rotaviruses (RVs) are a major cause of diarrhoea among infants, young children, immunocompromised people, and domesticated animals. Our work is first to determine anti-RV activity of marama bean and tuber ethanol and water extracts; in this case on intestinal enterocyte cells of human infant (H4), adult pig (CLAB) and adult bovine (CIEB) origin. Marama cotyledon ethanolic extract (MCE) and cotyledon water extract (MCW) without RV were not cytotoxic to all cells tested, while seed coat and tuber extracts showed variable levels of cytotoxicity. Marama cotyledon ethanolic and water extracts (MCE and MCW, resp.) (≥0.1 mg/mL), seed coat extract (MSCE) and seed coat water extract (MSCW) (0.01 to 0.001 mg/mL), especially ethanolic, significantly increased cell survival and enhanced survival to cytopathic effects of RV by at least 100% after in vitro co- and pre-incubation treatments. All marama extracts used significantly enhanced nitric oxide release from H4 cells and enhanced TER (Ω/cm(2)) of enterocyte barriers after coincubation with RV. Marama cotyledon and seed coat extracts inhibited virion infectivity possibly through interference with replication due to accumulation of nitric oxide. Marama extracts are therefore promising microbicides against RV. Tylosema esculentum (Burch.) (marama) A. Schreib. (family Caesalpiniaceae or Leguminosae) [1] , also known as "the Green Gold of Africa," is a creeping plant found in the southern parts of Africa, namely South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. Tylosema esculentum bean and tuber extracts have been used in traditional African medicine to treat diarrhoea and for general upkeep of human health [2] . Only little chemical characterization has been done to date on the T. esculentum plant. Research on chemical and health benefits of T. esculentum plant is part of an ongoing research project under EU-INCO Marama II FP6 programme (contract number 032059).