Federal health officials announced Tuesday that more than 20 individuals returning to the U.S. from Cuba have been infected with the Oropouche virus, also known as sloth fever, in recent months. While there have been no fatalities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging American doctors to be vigilant for signs of this infection in travelers from Cuba and South America.
Oropouche virus is native to forested tropical areas and was first identified in 1955 in a 24-year-old forest worker on the island of Trinidad. The disease gets its nickname, sloth fever, from the early discovery of the virus in a three-toed sloth. This led scientists to believe that sloths play a role in the virus’s spread between insects and animals.
The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through bites from small flies called midges and certain types of mosquitoes. While humans can contract the virus in forested areas and potentially aid its spread to urban areas, there has been no documented person-to-person transmission.
Towards the end of last year, significant outbreaks were recorded in regions of the Amazon where the virus was previously known to exist. New cases were also reported in parts of South America and the Caribbean. Nearly 8,000 locally acquired cases have been documented in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru. In the U.S., 21 cases have been confirmed—all in travelers from Cuba, specifically 20 in Florida and one in New York. European health officials have reported 19 cases among travelers as well.
The symptoms of Oropouche virus can resemble those of other tropical diseases like dengue, Zika, or malaria. Common symptoms include fever, headaches, and muscle aches, with some patients also experiencing diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and rashes. A smaller percentage suffer from recurring symptoms, and about one in 20 cases lead to severe conditions such as bleeding, meningitis, or encephalitis. Although the virus is rarely fatal, there have been recent reports of deaths in two healthy young individuals in Brazil.
Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent Oropouche virus infections and no specific treatments to address its symptoms. In Brazil, there are concerns that the virus might be transmitted from pregnant women to their fetuses, reminiscent of the Zika virus outbreaks nearly a decade ago. Due to these risks, the CDC has advised pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to Cuba and recommended that all travelers take preventive measures against bug bites, such as using insect repellents and wearing long-sleeved clothing.
 in travelers from Cuba; 21 U.S. cases reported. Stay informed and protect yourself from insect bites.){kind=link}