According to health officials, all of them had been infected with the Oropush virus, also known as sloth fever.
Fortunately, none of the patients have died from the disease, and there is no evidence that it has spread in the United States, but officials are stressing the need to be vigilant about infection among travelers coming from Cuba and South America.
What is the Oropush virus?
Oropush is a virus native to tropical forest areas. It was first identified in 1955 in a 24-year-old forest worker on the island of Trinidad, and is named after a nearby village.
It is sometimes called sloth fever because scientists who investigated the virus first found it in a three-toed sloth, and they believe sloths play a role in its spread among insects and other animals.
How does the Oropush virus spread?
The virus is transmitted to humans by small, biting flies called midges, and by some species of mosquitoes.
Humans became infected while visiting forested areas and are thought to be responsible for helping the virus make its way into cities and towns, but human-to-human transmission has not been documented.
How many cases?
Since late last year, the virus has been identified as the cause of large outbreaks in areas of the Amazon where it was known to exist, as well as in new areas of South America and the Caribbean. About 8,000 locally acquired cases have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Peru.
Some travelers have also been diagnosed with it in the United States and Europe.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that 21 cases have been reported in the United States so far, 20 in Florida and one in New York, all of whom had traveled from Cuba.
European health officials earlier reported that they had found 19 cases, almost all among travelers.
What are the symptoms and treatments?
Symptoms may be similar to other tropical diseases, such as dengue, Zika or malaria, and include fever, headache and muscle aches. Some people also have diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or a rash.
Some patients experience recurring symptoms, and 1 in 20 patients can experience more severe symptoms, such as bleeding, meningitis, and encephalitis. The disease is rarely fatal, although there have been recent reports of two healthy young men dying in Brazil.
There are no vaccines to prevent infection and no medications are available to treat the symptoms.
Are there any other concerns?
In Brazil, officials are investigating reports that the infection can be transmitted from pregnant women to their fetuses, a frightening prospect given what was seen during the Zika outbreak a decade ago.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant women avoid nonessential travel to Cuba and suggests that all travelers take steps to prevent insect bites, such as using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Source: Medical Express
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2024-08-28 20:53:33
