A mosquito-borne disease — Oropouche virus, also known as lazy fever — has been detected in the United States.
Travelers returning to the United States from Cuba have contracted the virus in recent months, the Associated Press has reported. No deaths have been reported.
Oropouche virus is endemic in the Amazon basin and has also been reported in South America and the Caribbean.
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More than 8,000 cases have been reported worldwide between January 1 and August 1, 2024, including two deaths and five cases of maternal-to-fetal transmission, the CDC noted in an August 16 advisory.
Lazy fever has been reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Cuba.
More than 8,000 cases were reported worldwide between January 1 and August 1, 2024, including two deaths and five cases of maternal-to-fetal transmission. (iStock)
So far, 11 cases have been identified in travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil, the CDC said.
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“Although travel-related cases have been identified in the United States, no evidence of local transmission currently exists in the United States or its territories,” the agency said.
“As testing and surveillance for Oropouche virus disease increases in the Americas, case reports from additional countries are expected.”
What is the Oropouche virus?
The Oropouche virus first appeared in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955.
Since then, it has had “limited circulation” in parts of South America, particularly in forested areas, according to the CDC.
The disease is usually transmitted through bites from mosquitoes and midges (small flies, especially of the species Culicoides paraensis).
Three-toed sloths and birds have been identified as “natural reservoirs” of the Oropouche virus, meaning they act as hosts for the disease. (iStock)
Three-toed sloths and birds have been identified as “natural reservoirs” for Oropouche, meaning they act as hosts of the disease.
“The virus does not spread from person to person,” said Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Centerconfirmed to Fox News Digital.
“There is a risk to the fetus in terms of congenital malformations.”
Symptoms of Oropouche
Oropouche, classified as an arbovirus, is often confused with other similar viruses, such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and malaria, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, muscle aches, joint stiffness, and chills.
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Some may develop a rash that starts on the torso and spreads to other parts of the body.
Symptoms usually appear within four to eight days after the bite and last three to six days.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, muscle aches, joint stiffness and chills. (iStock)
“Symptoms can subside and reappear,” Siegel noted.
In severe cases, patients may develop meningitis, encephalitis, or other diseases. “neuroinvasive” diseasesthe CDC said.
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In these patients, symptoms may include severe headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, lethargy, neck stiffness, and involuntary tremors. eye movements.
“About 4 percent of patients develop neurologic symptoms after the initial febrile illness,” Siegel said.
Treatment and prevention
Most people who contract Oropouche recover on their own with no long-term effects, the CDC said.
“There is no vaccines “For prevention, not for treatment,” Siegel said.
The best prevention is to avoid midge and mosquito bites, experts say.
“Patients who develop more severe symptoms should be hospitalized for close observation and supportive treatment,” the CDC said. (iStock)
“People are advised to take preventive measures, including the use of repellents, clothing that covers legs and arms, and fine-mesh mosquito nets, and take additional precautions. during epidemicsespecially for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women,” the Pan American Health Organization warned in an alert.
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Supportive care may include rest, fluids and medicines to reduce fever and relieve pain.
“Patients who develop more severe symptoms should be hospitalized for close observation and supportive treatment,” the agency said.
“As testing and surveillance for Oropouche virus disease increases in the Americas, case reports from additional countries are expected.”
People with symptoms and risk factors can contact their local health department for testing.
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“Clinicians in areas where importation has occurred may not be familiar with this infection and need to be alert to its possibility,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, MD, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDC for comment.
