  We present a new approach to calculate the attractive long-range
vortex-vortex interaction of the van der Waals type present in anisotropic and
layered superconductors. The mapping of the statistical mechanics of
two-dimensional charged bosons allows us to define a Casimir problem: Two half
spaces of vortex matter separated by a gap of width R are mapped to two
dielectric half planes of charged bosons interacting via a massive gauge field.
We determine the attractive Casimir force between the two half planes and show
that it agrees with the pairwise summation of the van der Waals force between
vortices.
