OROV

 

🦠 Oropouche Virus (OROV) – Overview

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that causes Oropouche fever, a disease similar to dengue or chikungunya.

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🔍 Key Facts

• Virus family: Peribunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus

• Discovered: 1955, Trinidad and Tobago

• Transmission: Mainly by Culicoides paraensis (a biting midge) and some mosquitoes (e.g., Culex species)

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🌍 Where It's Found

• Primarily in South and Central America, especially:

  • Brazil

  • Peru

  • Trinidad

  • Panama

  • Suriname

• Causes occasional outbreaks, particularly in urban or peri-urban areas near rainforests.

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🤒 Symptoms of Oropouche Fever

Most people recover without complications, but symptoms can be unpleasant:

Symptom	Duration
High fever	2–7 days
Headache	Common
Muscle & joint pain	Common
Nausea or vomiting	Sometimes
Photophobia (light sensitivity)	Occasionally
Dizziness	Sometimes
Meningitis (rare)	Rare but possible

Note: Some people experience a biphasic fever (fever returns a few days after improving).

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🧪 Diagnosis

• Usually via PCR testing, ELISA, or virus isolation.

• Often misdiagnosed as dengue, Zika, or chikungunya because of similar symptoms.

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💊 Treatment

• No specific antiviral treatment.

• Supportive care: rest, hydration, and pain/fever relief (e.g., paracetamol).

• Avoid NSAIDs until dengue is ruled out (risk of bleeding complications).

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🛡️ Prevention

• No vaccine currently.

• Main strategies:

  • Avoid bites from midges and mosquitoes (use repellents, bed nets).

  • Control breeding sites (stagnant water, etc.).

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🔬 Emerging Risk

• Experts are monitoring OROV as a potential global health threat, especially with:

  • Increased urbanization in endemic areas.

  • Changing climate conditions and vector spread.

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Would you like a comparison between Oropouche and other arboviruses like dengue or Zika?