'Incurable virus' spreading in Caribbean vacation hotspots: What to know
What's the story
The Oropouche virus, dubbed "sloth fever," is spreading fast in popular holiday getaways. It has already been found in a few American patients who returned recently from certain parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. As medics have termed the viral infection incurable, there are calls for increased vigilance among travelers to the region.
Viral impact
Oropouche virus symptoms and transmission
Oropouche virus causes a variety of symptoms, from fever (up to 40°C), chills, and muscle aches, to rashes, eye pain, and brain swelling in severe cases. Symptoms generally develop two to 10 days after exposure and last two to seven days. The main carrier of the virus is an insect called a midge, a two-winged fly that resembles a mosquito. It is sometimes called sloth fever since it was initially discovered in Brazil in a blood sample from the animal.
Transmission routes
Oropouche virus can spread through sexual contact
Midges are the primary vectors of the Oropouche virus, but sexual transmission is possible; it was detected in a patient's semen. Many patients have also complained of recurrent symptoms, suggesting the disease is capable of reoccurring after an initial infection. In the absence of a cure, 60-70% of patients suffer from the recurrence of this disease.
Health warning
Oropouche virus has no cure
The Public Health Agency of Canada has warned that "currently, no antiviral drugs or vaccines for treatment or prevention of Oropouche virus disease exist." Brazil's Amazon region saw a spike in cases in 2022, with 6,300 reported from 2022-2024. The US has recorded 104 cases since January 2024, including three who developed brain swelling. Federal officials urge that one consult a healthcare physician or visit a travel health clinic at least six weeks before trips.