If you're gearing up for a vacation, health experts urge caution: travelers heading to certain destinations in South America may be at risk of contracting the Oropouche virus, a dangerous mosquito-borne virus that has no vaccine for prevention or treatment.

In a recent report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, experts are sounding the alarm about a rising health threat: infection from the Oropouche virus, detected in travelers from Canada and the United States who visited South American countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Cuba. New outbreaks have been reported in these regions since 2023, prompting concerns over the virus's growing spread.

Oropouche virus, similar to dengue and Zika, spreads through mosquitoes and tiny biting midges, causing fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and extreme weakness. Some cases involve symptoms such as photophobia, dizziness, persistent nausea or vomiting, and low back pain. Typically, symptoms of the infection appear 3 to 10 days after the virus enters the body through mosquito or midge bites and can last up to a week.

In some cases, symptoms may return weeks later, extending discomfort and complicating recovery. The infection can also lead to life-threatening complications, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and, in rare instances, death.

There have also been reports of patients developing Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks nerve cells, following infection with the Oropouche virus.

Pregnant women are particularly at risk from the infection, as the virus can be transmitted to the fetus and is associated with complications such as miscarriage, fetal death, and birth defects.

While Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, known to carry the Oropouche virus, are found in the southern U.S., local transmission of the virus has not been reported to date.

Since there are no specific treatments or vaccines available for the disease, experts advise taking caution while traveling to the virus-prone destinations. To protect against potential infection, experts recommend wearing long-sleeved clothing and using mosquito nets, especially in regions where the virus is prevalent. Chemical insect repellents and insecticide-treated nets containing deltamethrin, icaridin, or DEET are proven to be effective in reducing the risk of mosquito bites and preventing the spread of the virus.

There are no specific antiviral drugs for treating the Oropouche virus, so management focuses on supportive care, including medications like acetaminophen to reduce fever. However, it is recommended to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) during treatment.

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