OROPOUCHE FEVER (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Italy recently reported its first-ever case of Oropouche fever, a mosquito-borne disease, marking the first detection of the virus in continental Europe.

Oropouche Fever

• About: It is a mosquito-borne disease prevalent in Latin and South America.
• Caused by: Oropouche virus, an RNA virus belonging to the Bunyaviridae family. Transmission primarily occurs through the bite of the Culicoides paraensis midge.
• Transmission: The disease is transmitted through bites of infected midges and mosquitoes.
• Human-to-Human Transmission

oThere is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of Oropouche Fever.

• Symptoms: These are similar to dengue fever and typically appear 4 to 8 days after being bitten. They include fever, headaches, pain, chills, joint stiffness, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.
• Clinical Presentation: Severe cases leading to aseptic meningitis are rare but possible.
• Affected Population: Oropouche Fever can affect individuals of any age, with most patients recovering within about 7 days.
• Treatment: Currently, there is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment available for Oropouche Fever.
• Epidemiology: Outbreaks of Oropouche Fever are periodically reported in countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.

oSome outbreaks have occurred outside the tropical conditions typically associated with transmission events.