Latest news with #OROV
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oropouche virus more prevalent than previously assumed, data shows
The Oropouche virus is much more widespread in Latin America than previously thought, according to a study from Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru. Oropouche virus disease, also known as Oropouche fever, is a febrile illness, from which patients typically recover quickly. It's caused by the Oropouche virus, which people catch through the bites of infected biting midges, and possibly of some mosquitoes, the World Health Organization says. International researchers found antibodies against the pathogen in 6.3% of more than 9,400 blood samples, meaning at least one in 16 people there has had this infection at least once in their lives, says co-author Jan Felix Drexler. More than 6.3% of the population has probably already had contact with the virus, says Drexler, head of the Virus Epidemiology working group at Germany's Charité hospital. "We don't know how long the antibodies last," he says. But there were significant regional differences, the team wrote in a paper published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. While in Costa Rica, an average of around 2% of the samples showed antibodies against the pathogen, in Ecuador it was 5% and in the Amazon regions, more than 10%. The blood samples were taken between 2001 and 2022. Symptoms of the Oropouche virus (OROV) are similar to those of dengue or chikungunya fever and include headaches, muscle and joint pain, nausea and diarrhoea, sometimes also skin rashes. In rare cases, the disease can be severe. There are also indications of possible damage to unborn children. There is currently no specific treatment or vaccination for the virus. The virus is transmitted in Latin America by different mosquito species. For a long time, only a few cases were reported per year as little testing was carried out. But the number of infections has risen to more than 20,000 cases per year since 2023, though it is unclear why this is the case. Drexler's team say climate factors such as rainfall and temperature have a major influence. Last year's heavy rainfall in parts of South America could have contributed to larger mosquito populations and thus to the spread of the virus. In Germany, the Foreign Office and Robert Koch Institute (RKI) centre for disease control say pregnant women should weigh whether it is necessary for them to travel to areas where there are outbreaks. If you are travelling to areas affected, take consistent protection against bug bites by wearing long clothing, using insect repellent and getting a particularly fine-mesh mosquito net.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists uncover new information on spread of virus across US — here's what you need to know
If you live in the U.S., it's unlikely that you'll catch Oropouche fever, according to a new study that took a look at the ability of local mosquitoes to transmit the virus that causes this vector-borne disease. News Medical Life Sciences summarized the findings, noting that Oropouche is primarily spread by small flies called midges but can sometimes be transmitted by mosquitoes as well. The researchers looked at four U.S. species — Cx. pipiens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, An. quadrimaculatus, and Ae. albopictus — and found weak transmission rates of the virus among them. "These results … suggest the likelihood of these species maintaining OROV in North America remains low," the researchers stated. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oropouche fever can lead to symptoms like sudden onset of fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and joint pain. However, more severe cases can lead to death, and Brazil has documented cases of pregnant mothers passing the virus to their fetus, possibly resulting in fetal death or congenital abnormalities. Though the study offers hope to those living in the U.S., Oropouche and other mosquito-borne illnesses remain a growing concern across the world, as warming global temperatures are creating the perfect conditions for mosquito populations to thrive and expand. For instance, as temperatures climb to new highs, malaria risk zones have expanded to higher elevations in the Ethiopian Highlands, according to And one recent study found that several mosquito species' populations are set to expand their ranges in North and South America in the coming years thanks to warmer temperatures. Plus, recent studies have projected that longer autumns and earlier springs in the U.S. will extend mosquito season by two months, The Harvard Gazette reported. The publication explained that these periods are expected to be warmer and wetter, providing more standing water for mosquitoes to breed. This extra time will lead to more gestational cycles, and this is likely to lead to more bites from females, which need to feed on blood before laying their eggs. In the wake of such threats, governments and scientists are looking for ways to protect people from mosquito-borne diseases like Oropouche, malaria, dengue, and West Nile virus. For instance, after San Diego County discovered its first-ever locally acquired case of dengue in fall 2024, it sprayed for mosquitoes at about 170 homes over a full weekend in an attempt to quickly halt the potential spread of the virus. And a $70 million pilot program testing malaria vaccines in Africa resulted in a 13% decrease in deaths due to this disease among young children over a period of four years. You can protect yourself from being bitten by mosquitoes by taking steps like wearing long sleeves and pants, using insect repellents, keeping unscreened windows and doors closed, and draining standing water in order to prevent the laying of eggs. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
