Oropouche Virus: An Emerging Orthobunyavirus.

On 2 February 2024, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization issued an epidemiological alert on rising Oropouche virus (OROV) infections in South America. By 3 August 2024, this alert level had escalated from medium to high. OROV has been a public health concern in Central and South America since its emergence in Brazil in the 1960s. However, the 2024 outbreak marks a turning point, with the sustained transmission in non-endemic regions of Brazil, local transmission in Cuba, two fatalities and several cases of vertical transmission. As of the end of August 2024, 9852 OROV cases have been confirmed. The 2024 OROV outbreak underscores critical gaps in our understanding of OROV pathogenesis and highlights the urgent need for antivirals and vaccines. This review aims to provide a concise overview of OROV, a neglected orthobunyavirus.

Oropouche Fever, Cuba, May 2024.

Phylogenetic analyses showed that the virus responsible for a May 2024 Oropouche fever outbreak in Cuba was closely related to viruses from Brazil in 2023. Pools of Ceratopogonidae spp. biting midges and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were positive for Oropouche viral RNA. No cases were severe. Virus extension to new areas may increase case numbers and severity.

Oropouche Virus Disease Among U.S. Travelers - United States, 2024.

Beginning in late 2023, Oropouche virus was identified as the cause of large outbreaks in Amazon regions with known endemic transmission and in new areas in South America and the Caribbean. The virus is spread to humans by infected biting midges and some mosquito species. Although infection typically causes a self-limited febrile illness, reports of two deaths in patients with Oropouche virus infection and vertical transmission associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes have raised concerns about the threat of this virus to human health. In addition to approximately 8,000 locally acquired cases in the Americas, travel-associated Oropouche virus disease cases have recently been identified in European travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil. As of August 16, 2024, a total of 21 Oropouche virus disease cases were identified among U.S. travelers returning from Cuba. Most patients initially experienced fever, myalgia, and headache, often with other symptoms including arthralgia, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, and rash. At least three patients had recurrent symptoms after the initial illness, a common characteristic of Oropouche virus disease. Clinicians and public health jurisdictions should be aware of the occurrence of Oropouche virus disease in U.S. travelers and request testing for suspected cases. Travelers should prevent insect bites when traveling, and pregnant persons should consider deferring travel to areas experiencing outbreaks of Oropouche virus disease.

ddPCR for the Detection and Absolute Quantification of Oropouche Virus.

BACKGROUND: Oropouche virus (OROV) is a segmented RNA virus belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus in the family Peribunyaviridae. Herein, an in-house droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay was used for the detection and quantification of OROV. METHODS: The ddPCR reaction was assessed as duplex assay using the human housekeeping gene RPP30. Limit of detection (LoD) analysis was performed in whole blood, serum, and urine. The assay was executed on a total of 28 clinical samples (whole blood n = 9, serum n = 11, and urine n = 8), of which 16 specimens were tested positive at the routine molecular diagnostics (endpoint and real-time PCRs). RESULTS: The LoD of the ddPCR performed using 10-fold serial dilution of OROV detected up to 1 cp/µL in all the biological matrices. Compared to the routine molecular diagnostics, the ddPCR assay showed 100% sensitivity for whole blood and serum and 75% for urine, highlighting higher positive rate of ddPCR. CONCLUSION: We have established a quantitative RNA detection method of OROV with high sensitivity and specificity based on ddPCR. This test is capable of quantitatively monitoring the viral load of OROV and can contribute, in addition to laboratory diagnosis, to shed light on the pathogenesis, filling in the knowledge gaps of this neglected disease and to the vector control programs.

Oropouche Virus (OROV) in Pregnancy: An Emerging Cause of Placental and Fetal Infection Associated with Stillbirth and Microcephaly following Vertical Transmission.

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an emerging arbovirus endemic in Latin America and the Caribbean that causes Oropouche fever, a febrile illness that clinically resembles some other arboviral infections. It is currently spreading through Brazil and surrounding countries, where, from 1 January to 1 August 2024, more than 8000 cases have been identified in Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, and Peru and for the first time in Cuba. Travelers with Oropouche fever have been identified in the United States and Europe. A significant occurrence during this epidemic has been the report of pregnant women infected with OROV who have had miscarriages and stillborn fetuses with placental, umbilical blood and fetal somatic organ samples that were RT-PCR positive for OROV and negative for other arboviruses. In addition, there have been four cases of newborn infants having microcephaly, in which the cerebrospinal fluid tested positive for IgM antibodies to OROV and negative for other arboviruses. This communication examines the biology, epidemiology, and clinical features of OROV, summarizes the 2023-2024 Oropouche virus epidemic, and describes the reported cases of vertical transmission and congenital infection, fetal death, and microcephaly in pregnant women with Oropouche fever, addresses experimental animal infections and potential placental pathology findings of OROV, and reviews other bunyavirus agents that can cause vertical transmission. Recommendations are made for pregnant women travelling to the regions affected by the epidemic.

(Re-)Emergence of Oropouche Virus (OROV) Infections: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Oropouche Virus (OROV; genus of Orthobunyavirus) is the causal agent of Oropouche Fever (OF). Due to the lack of specific signs and symptoms and the limited availability of diagnostic tests, the actual epidemiology of OROV infections and OF has been extensively disputed. In this systematic review with meta-analysis, a literature search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and MedRxiv in order to retrieve relevant articles on the documented occurrence of OROV infections. Pooled detection rates were then calculated for anti-OROV antibodies and virus detection (i.e., viral RNA detected by viral cultures and/or real-time polymerase chain reaction [RT-qPCR]). Where available, detection rates for other arboviruses (i.e., Dengue [DENV], Chikungunya [CHKV], and Zika Virus [ZIKV]) were calculated and compared to those for OROV. A total of 47 studies from South America and the Caribbean were retrieved. In individuals affected by febrile illness during OROV outbreaks, a documented prevalence of 0.45% (95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.16 to 1.12) for virus isolation, 12.21% (95%CI 4.96 to 27.09) for seroprevalence (including both IgM and IgG class antibodies), and 12.45% (95%CI 3.28 to 37.39) for the detection of OROV-targeting IgM class antibodies were eventually documented. In the general population, seroprevalence was estimated to be 24.45% (95%CI 7.83 to 55.21) for IgG class antibodies. The OROV detection rate from the cerebrospinal fluids of suspected cases of viral encephalitis was estimated to be 2.40% (95%CI 1.17 to 5.03). The occurrence of OROV infections was consistently lower than that of DENV, CHKV, and ZIKV during outbreaks (Risk Ratio [RR] 24.82, 95%CI 21.12 to 29.16; RR 2.207, 95%CI 1.427 to 3.412; and RR 7.900, 95%CI 5.386 to 11.578, respectively) and in the general population (RR 23.614, 95%CI 20.584 to 27.129; RR 3.103, 95%CI 2.056 to 4.685; and RR 49.500, 95%CI 12.256 to 199.921, respectively). In conclusion, our study stresses the possibly high underestimation of OROV prevalence in the general population of South America, the potential global threat represented by this arbovirus infection, and the potential preventive role of a comprehensive "One Health approach".

Diretrizes para a Detecção e Vigilância de Oropouche em possíveis casos de infecção vertical, malformação congênita ou morte fetal/Directrices para la Detección y Vigilancia de Oropouche en posibles casos de infección vertical, malformación congénita o muerte fetal

Orientaciones sobre el diagnóstico y vigilancia por laboratorio de arbovirus emergentes, incluyendo OROV, se detallan en las “Directrices para la Detección y Vigilancia de Arbovirus Emergentes en el Contexto de la Circulación de Otros Arbovirus”

Febre oropouche

O site atua como uma plataforma central para conectar cidadãos, profissionais de saúde, pesquisadores e gestores públicos, facilitando o acesso a informações e serviços essenciais para a saúde no Brasil. informações atualizadas sobre políticas, programas e ações de saúde pública, além de dados epidemiológicos e estatísticas de saúde. Campanhas de conscientização sobre prevenção de doenças, saúde da mulher, saúde infantil, saúde do idoso, entre outras áreas. Legislação e Regulamentação: Publicar e atualizar normas, portarias, resoluções e diretrizes relacionadas ao sistema de saúde e à prática médica no Brasil, etc

Fiocruz Amazônia identifica primeiro caso de oropouche na tríplice fronteira

O site da FIOCRUZ (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz) oferece uma ampla gama de conteúdos e funcionalidades relacionadas à saúde pública, pesquisa científica, educação e desenvolvimento tecnológico.

Perguntas e respostas sobre o vírus Oropouche/Preguntas y respuestas sobre el virus Oropouche/ Q&A – Oropouche fever

Washington D.C., 24 de julho de 2024 (OPAS) [Atualizado em 26 de julho de 2024] – Em julho deste ano, a Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde (OPAS) emitiu alerta epidemiológico sobre um aumento nos casos notificados do vírus Oropouche (OROV) em cinco países (Brasil, Bolívia, Peru, Cuba e Colômbia) na Região das Américas. Washington D.C., 24 de julio de 2024 (OPS) [Actualizado el 26 de julio de 2024] – En julio de este año, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) emitió una alerta epidemiológica sobre un aumento de casos reportados del virus Oropouche (OROV) en cinco países (Brasil, Bolivia, Perú, Cuba y Colombia) de la Región de las Américas. Washington D.C., 24 July 2024 (PAHO) [Updated 26 July 2024] – In July this year, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert on an increase in reported cases of Oropouche virus (OROV) in five countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Cuba and Colombia) in the Region of the Americas.

Study of Akabane disease in an Iranian dairy herd: a re-emerging disease.

Akabane virus is a teratogenic pathogen transmitted by Culicoides spp. to ruminants. The virus induces anomalies in the central nervous system in the developing fetus, resulting in arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly (A-H) syndrome. During three outbreaks of the disease (2002, 2013, and 2020), 77 calves were born in Varamin, Iran, with A-H syndrome. The presenting neurologic signs were categorized into three main groups, as common, less common, and uncommon signs. The common signs were unawareness of the surroundings, blindness, deep depression, partial failure of suckling, and unintelligent behavior. The less commonly noted signs were hyperexcitability, regurgitation, head pressing, compulsive walking, and kicking, while the uncommon signs comprised protrusion of the tongue, making sounds resembling barking, carnivore-like milk drinking, and deafness. Arthrogryposis, dome-shaped skull, kyphosis, torticollis, lordosis, scoliosis, and spina bifida were the diagnosed skeletal defects. Upon necropsy, hydranencephaly, hydrocephaly, and microencephaly were seen in the calves presenting neurologic signs, while astrocytosis, astrogliosis, focal gliosis, perivascular, perineuronal, and submeningeal edema, perivascular cuffing, non-suppurative meningitis, non-suppurative encephalitis and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, and perivascular and parenchymal hemorrhage were seen in samples obtained from the brains. RT-PCR detected Akabane virus in the brain tissues of the affected calves. This is the first clinical study of Akabane disease in calves in Iran.

Spatiotemporal Epidemiology of Oropouche Fever, Brazil, 2015-2024.

We assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of Oropouche fever in Brazil during 2015-2024. We found the number of cases substantially increased during that period, particularly in the Amazon region. Our findings underscore the need for improved surveillance and public health measures in response to the disease's potential spread beyond endemic areas.

Oropouche virus infection: What internal medicine physicians should know.

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A reporter Oropouche virus expressing ZsGreen from the M segment enables pathogenesis studies in mice.

Oropouche fever caused by Oropouche virus (OROV) is a significant zoonosis in Central and South America. Despite its public health significance, we lack high-throughput diagnostics, therapeutics, and a comprehensive knowledge of OROV biology. Reporter viruses are valuable tools to rapidly study virus dynamics and develop neutralization and antiviral screening assays. OROV is a tri-segmented bunyavirus, which makes generating a reporter virus challenging, as introducing foreign elements into the viral genome typically affects fitness. We previously demonstrated that the non-structural gene NSm on the OROV medium (M) segment is non-essential for replication in vitro. Taking advantage of this, we have now generated a recombinant OROV expressing fluorescent protein ZsGreen in place of NSm. This reporter OROV is both stable and pathogenic in IFNAR-/- mice and provides a powerful tool for OROV pathogenesis studies and assay development.IMPORTANCEEmerging and reemerging infectious agents such as zoonotic bunyaviruses are of global health concern. Oropouche virus (OROV) causes recurring outbreaks of acute febrile illness in the Central and South American human populations. Biting midges are the primary transmission vectors, whereas sloths and non-human primates are their reservoir hosts. As global temperatures increase, we will likely see an expansion in arthropod-borne pathogens such as OROV. Therefore, developing reagents to study pathogen biology to aid in identifying druggable targets is essential. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility and use of a fluorescent OROV reporter in mice to study viral dynamics and pathogenesis. We show that this reporter OROV maintains characteristics such as growth and pathogenicity similar to the wild-type virus. Using this reporter virus, we can now develop methods to assist OROV studies and establish various high-throughput assays.