TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Increased activity of the insect-borne Oropouche virus has prompted warnings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for travelers to South America and the Caribbean.
Oropouche virus has caused two deaths and five cases of fetal death or birth defects among more than 8,000 cases this year, in an outbreak stretching from the Amazon basin to Cuba, the CDC said in a recent health advisory. The CDC is especially warning pregnant women to reconsider travel to any countries in which Oropouche is circulating.
"If travel is unavoidable, pregnant travelers should strictly follow Oropouche virus prevention recommendations, to prevent insect bites during travel," the CDC said.
The U.S. has had 11 travel-related cases of Oropouche this year, according to the CDC. However, there is no evidence the virus has started to circulate in North America. Oropouche is spread by biting midges and some mosquitos. About 60 percent of people infected with Oropouche develop symptoms. Common symptoms include fever, severe headache, muscle aches, chills, and joint pain.
The illness typically subsides after a few days, but about seven in 10 people experience recurrent symptoms days or weeks after their initial infection, the CDC says -- essentially, long Oropouche. Fewer than 5 percent of patients infected with Oropouche will develop more serious conditions like meningitis or bleeding.
Brazil also has reported five cases in which infected pregnant women lost their babies or had children born with birth defects, including microcephaly.
Countries reporting cases of Oropouche include Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Cuba. The CDC is recommending that travelers to nations affected by Oropouche avoid biting midges and mosquitoes both during travel and up to three weeks after returning home, to prevent the spread of the virus into the United States.
“All travelers can protect themselves from Oropouche, dengue, Zika, and other viruses transmitted by insects by preventing insect bites, including using an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent; wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants; and staying in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens," the CDC said in its advisory.
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