A virus originating from the animal called “Sloth” is spreading through the bites of insects, including flies and mosquitoes, in Europe. A total of 19 people have been reported in the past two months, according to the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC).
The virus includes fever and muscle pain PHOTO: Archive
Oropouche virus disease, known as the “Lazy Virus”, is spreading in the Americas and was first detected in Europe, affecting people in Spain, Italy and Germany.
According to Live Science, in June and July, 19 cases of Oropouche virus disease were detected in Europe among travelers returning from Cuba or Brazil, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The disease is transmitted to humans by midges, a type of biting fly, as well as by mosquitoes.
“The prognosis for recovery is good and fatal outcomes are extremely rare.”the Agency sent.
Oropouche virus can cause symptoms similar to Zika, including sudden fever, muscle aches, sensitivity to light, eye pain, vomiting, and rashes.
In about 4% of cases, the virus can infect the nervous system, causing inflammation around the spinal cord and brain or even inside the brain. However, most people recover within a few days to a month.
It affects pregnant women
Recently, Brazil has reported several cases that investigators suspect were passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy. These infections have been tentatively associated with poor outcomes, including pregnancy loss and microcephaly, which causes a baby’s head to be much smaller than average.
However, due to data limitations, the link between poor pregnancy outcomes and Oropouche virus has not yet been confirmed.
Oropouche virus was first detected in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago and has since caused epidemics in various countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
So far this year, outbreaks have been reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, and Cuba has reported its first known cases.
Direct spread of the virus from person to person has never been documented.
Instead, humans most often get sick from a species of mosquito called Culicoides paraensis. In addition, a handful of mosquito species can carry and spread the virus to humans
Although the risks of contracting the Oropouche virus during pregnancy are not yet clear, the Zika virus – which has clear risks if contracted during pregnancy – is spreading in the same areas.
