By; Staff Writer
February 28, 2025
The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns that the Oropouche virus is an emerging virus in the Americas. The virus is spread to people by infected biting midges and some mosquito species.
The Pan-American Health Organization on the other hand explains that the, “Oropouche virus disease (OROV) is a febrile infection caused by an arbovirus of the genus Orthobunyavirus, belonging to the family Peribunyaviridae.
“First identified in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago, OROV has caused cases and outbreaks in several South American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. Outbreaks have been most frequent in the Amazon Basin region, where the most known vector, the midge (Culicoides paraensis), maintains a sylvatic cycle involving hosts such as sloths and non-human primates.”
A recent scientific report describes the first time Oropouche virus was found in semen of a patient who had Oropouche, which raises concern about the possible risk of sexual transmission. Other viruses (like Zika and Ebola viruses) in semen have been associated with sexual transmission of other infectious diseases. No cases of sexual transmission of Oropouche virus have been reported.
CDC has interim recommendations for male travelers and all travelers to areas with a Level 1 or 2 Travel Health Notice for Oropouche to prevent possible transmission during sex.
PAHO adds: “Symptoms of Oropouche fever include sudden fever, severe headache, extreme weakness (prostration), joint and muscle pain. In some cases, photophobia, dizziness, persistent nausea or vomiting, and low back pain may occur. Fever usually lasts up to five days. Although serious complications are rare, the disease can progress to aseptic meningitis, which usually manifests in the second week of illness, prolonging recovery by weeks. Up to 60% of cases are reported to have relapses of symptoms in the weeks following recovery.
The increased spread of OROV is linked to a variety of environmental and human factors. Climate change has intensified rainfall and temperatures, while deforestation and urbanization have altered the natural habitats of vectors and hosts, favoring interaction between them and increasing the risk of transmission.
To control the spread of OROV, vector prevention and control measures are recommended. This includes strengthening entomological surveillance, reducing midge populations, and educating the population on personal protection measures. Specific recommendations include using fine-mesh mosquito nets on doors and windows, clothing that covers arms and legs, repellents with DEET or icaridin, and fine-mesh nets over beds or sleeping areas.
According to a PAHO Public Health Risk Assessment (August 2024) in Brazil, one fetal death and one miscarriage have been reported in the state of Pernambuco , as well as four cases of newborns with microcephaly possibly linked to OROV