What is the Oropuche virus and why its rapid growth worries world experts
Rapid increase in cases Oropush virus o Oropuche (also Orepuche) in the Western Hemisphere has infectious disease specialists on high alert. This is stated by the authors of a commentary published today in a scientific journal. Annals of Internal Medicine and is led by prestigious investigator Davidson H. Hamer, a professor specializing in public health and infectious diseases at Boston University.
Oropuche fever virus (OROV) spreads primarily through infected insect bite. It is usually transmitted by mosquito-like animals called midges or gnats, plural (Culicoides paraensis). These flying animals are found in abundance on the beaches of the southern hemisphere, which is why they are commonly called “mosquito flies”, although they are not exactly flies. Some mosquitoes can also spread the virus.
Once infected with the disease, the incubation period for OROV is 3 to 10 days, after which symptoms appear, which usually last from 2 to 7 days to a month. Although nearly 40% of patients may remain asymptomatic, the experts who signed the document warn that Oropuche virus “could become threat to global public healthl”. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for ADS, so they point out that “Western doctors need to know about this.”
The article states that The number of cases of ADV disease has increased sharply in 2024 throughout the American continent. As of October 10, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 90 cases in US travelers after traveling from Cuba, although they note that they also there are cases in Europe. The CDC has issued a Level 2 Health Notice for Cuba to inform travelers about the disease and to take precautions against insect bites.
Virus found in semen of Italian traveler
Although insect bites are the main route of transmission of CDOM, health authorities Now they warn about the possibility of sexual transmission of the virus.which is reminiscent of non-vector transmission of the Zika virus, since OROV with replication capacity was found in the semen of a 42-year-old Italian traveler returning from Cuba.
A recent scientific report on this patient describes for the first time the detection of Oropuche virus in the semen of a person infected with this virus. This raises concerns about the possible risk of sexual transmission. Other viruses (such as Zika and Ebola viruses) in semen are associated with sexual transmission of other infectious diseases.
At this time, experts do not know whether people infected with Oropuche virus can transmit the virus through sexual contact. However, the study authors point out that “it is critical that Western doctors consider the possibility of it being spread through sexual contact.”
Another major obstacle to case surveillance is that commercial tests to detect OROV are not yet available. The authors make several recommendations for clinicians to reduce the spread of ODS, including counseling patients about the potential risks of vertical and sexual transmission and counseling women. pregnant patients reconsider their travel to areas with large outbreaks.
Symptoms of Oropuche viral fever
The CDC says common symptoms include: sudden fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches and joint pain. Other symptoms may include sensitivity to light, dizziness, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting and rash. Symptoms of Oropuche virus infection can often recur within days or even weeks.
Some people (less than one in 20) have more serious illness. These include meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), or bleeding. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that deaths from the Oropuche virus are rare, although deaths do occur in Latin America. In particular, two women died in Brazil this summer. The virus is currently considered a public health problem in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Panama, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and French Guiana.