Heading south for the winter? Oropouche virus, a new infectious disease, has been reported in travelers from Canada and the United States who visited Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Cuba. An article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241440 provides an overview of this emerging virus.
Similar to viruses like dengue and Zika, Oropouche virus symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and muscle aches. The incubation period is 3–10 days, and symptoms last 2–7 days and may recur weeks later in some people. The virus is transmitted by small biting midges and some mosquitos. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and using mosquito nets and insect repellents containing DEET can help prevent infection.
There are currently no vaccines or antivirals to…