More than 20 people returning to the United States from Cuba have been infected with an insect-borne virus in recent months, health officials reported yesterday, Tuesday.
No deaths have been reported in the United States, but officials are warning American doctors to be cautious of infections among travelers coming from Cuba and South America with the virus, also known as sloth fever, according to the Associated Press.
What is the Oropouche virus?
Oropouche is a virus native to tropical forested regions. It was first identified in 1955 in a 24-year-old forest worker on the island of Trinidad and was named after a nearby village and swamp.
It has sometimes been called “sloth fever” because scientists investigating the virus initially found it in three-toed sloths and believed the sloth was important in spreading it among insects and animals.
How is the Oropouche virus spread?
The virus is transmitted to humans by tiny flies and some types of mosquitoes.
Humans have been infected while visiting forested areas and are thought to be responsible for helping the virus spread to towns and cities, but no human-to-human transmission has been documented.
How many cases have been reported?
Since late last year, the virus has been identified as the cause of a large-scale outbreak in Amazon regions, as well as in new areas of South America and the Caribbean. About 8,000 locally acquired cases have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru.
Some travelers have been diagnosed in the United States and Europe. Yesterday, Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 21 cases had been reported in the United States so far—20 in Florida and one in New York—all from Cuba.
European health officials previously said they had found 19 cases, nearly all among travelers.
What are the symptoms and treatment?
Symptoms may resemble those of other tropical diseases, such as dengue, Zika, or malaria. Common symptoms include fever, headaches, and muscle aches, and some patients also experience diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or a rash.
Some patients experience recurring symptoms, and 1 in 20 patients may experience more severe symptoms, such as bleeding, meningitis, or encephalitis. The illness is rarely fatal, although recent reports mention deaths among two healthy young adults in Brazil.
There are no vaccines to prevent the infection, and no medications available to treat the symptoms.
Are there any other concerns?
In Brazil, officials are investigating reports that the infection may be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus, renewing concerns similar to those seen during the Zika outbreak nearly a decade ago.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that pregnant women avoid unnecessary travel to Cuba and suggested that all travelers take steps to prevent insect bites, such as using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Editorial team.