Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru Report Oropouche Fever Outbreaks

In 2024, there has been an increase in the detection of Oropouche fever outbreaks in areas of the Region of the Americas.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently confirmed Oropouche fever outbreaks in parts of Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.

For example, between 2023 and early 2024, 1,066 human cases of the Oropouche virus were registered in the Brazilian state of Amazonas.

To alert international travelers to this health risk, the CDC issued a Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Advisory, saying Oropouche fever is spread through the bites of infected midges (flies) and Culicoides paraensis mosquitoes.

The illness is often mistaken for dengue.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says travelers to these areas should seek medical care if they develop high fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea, vomiting, chills, or sensitivity to light during or after travel. 

Most people recover without long-term effects. 

Symptoms typically start 4–8 days after being bitten and last 3–6 days.

Oropouche fever has no cure or specific therapy, so treatment is symptomatic. Oral analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents can help with headaches and body pains.

As of May 2024, no licensed vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for Oropouche fever exist. However, recent clinical studies have used peptide vaccines to develop epitope-based vaccines, which could lead to potential use in the future.