Oropouche virus can make you feel like a sloth

UF Health Podcasts

You don’t want be as slow as a sloth in recognizing the symptoms of this virus.

The Oropouche [Orr-oh-pooch] virus, also known as “sloth fever,” has been reported in the United States. More than 8,000 cases have been confirmed this year, most of which originate from South America, where the virus is endemic.

Thus far, U.S. residents traveling from Cuba account for most of the domestic Oropouche cases. Florida leads the states in the number of cases.

The virus originates from a village in Trinidad and Tobago, where it was discovered in 1955. Since then, nearly a half-million cases have been diagnosed.

The virus spreads through insect bites, especially from biting midges, a type of tiny fly, and certain types of mosquitoes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60 percent of people infected with Oropouche develop symptoms, which can include sudden fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and joint stiffness. In rare cases, the disease infects the nervous system and causes meningitis and encephalitis.

The ongoing outbreak is spreading rapidly in countries native to the virus. Locally acquired cases have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru. There is no evidence of local transmission in the U.S.

However, this year marks the first time that there have been reported deaths from the Oropouche virus, as well as the first time it’s been proven the disease can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus.

Travelers headed to South America or the Caribbean should take special care, because so far, there are no preventive vaccines or specific antiviral treatments available for Oropouche.