MMore than 20 people who returned to the United States from Cuba in recent months have been infected with the insect-borne virus, federal health officials said Tuesday. All had Oropouche virus diseasealso known as sloth fever.
No one has died, and there is no evidence it is spreading in the United States. But officials warn US doctors be vigilant for infection in travelers arriving from Cuba and South America.
Here's a look at the disease and what caused the concern:
What is Oropouche virus?
Oropouche is a virus that grows in tropical forested areas. It was first identified in 1955 in a 24-year-old forest worker on the island of Trinidad and was named after the nearby village and wetlands.
It is sometimes called sloth fever because scientists who first studied the virus discovered it in a three-toed sloth and believed that sloths played an important role in spreading it between insects and animals.
How does the Oropouche virus spread?
The virus is transmitted to humans by small blood-sucking flies called midges and some species of mosquitoes. People have become infected while visiting forested areas and are thought to contribute to the spread of the virus in cities, but human-to-human transmission has not been documented.
How many such cases were there?
Since late last year, the virus has been identified as the cause of major outbreaks in regions of the Amazon where it was known to exist, as well as in new areas of South America and the Caribbean. About 8,000 cases of local transmission have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Peru.
Some travelers have been diagnosed with the virus in the United States and Europe, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. There are 21 cases registered in the United States. so far — 20 in Florida and one in New York — all of them were in Cuba. European health officials had previously said They found 19 casesalmost all among travelers.
What are the symptoms and treatments?
Symptoms may seem similar to other tropical diseases such as dengue, Zika or malaria. Fever, headaches and muscle pain are common, and some infected people also suffer from diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or rash.
Some patients experience recurring symptoms, and 1 in 20 may have more severe symptoms, including bleeding, meningitis, and encephalitis. It is rarely fatal, although there are recent reports of the deaths of two healthy young people in Brazil.
There are no vaccines to prevent infections and no medications to treat symptoms.
Are there any other concerns?
In Brazil, officials are investigating reports that infections can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus – a potentially frightening echo of what was seen during the Zika outbreaks nearly a decade ago.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant women avoid unnecessary travel to Cuba and suggested that all travelers take measures to prevent insect bitesfor example, using insect repellents and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.