RESUMO
A Dutch couple, presenting with persisting arthralgias, temporary fever and rash after a stay in Surinam were diagnosed with Mayaro virus infection. Mayaro virus is a relatively unknown South American Alphavirus responsible for dengue-like clinical features and persisting arthralgias. An important, but probably underappreciated cross-reactivity with other Alphaviruses like Chikungunya virus is present, which may become of clinical importance in the event the various Alphaviruses will have overlapping geographical distributions and in seroprevalence studies.
Assuntos
Infecções por Alphavirus/diagnóstico , Infecções por Alphavirus/virologia , Alphavirus/isolamento & purificação , Viagem , Infecções por Alphavirus/patologia , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Artralgia/etiologia , Vírus Chikungunya/imunologia , Reações Cruzadas , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Países Baixos , SurinameRESUMO
A 40-year-old seaman presented to our emergency department with a severe pruritic skin reaction on his limbs and neck after visiting French Guyana on an oil tanker. Twenty crewmembers had had the same complaints. The harbor in French Guyana had been devastated by an invasion of Hylesia metabus, a moth that can cause a serious dermatitis due to contact with the hairs (setae) of the female moth. Complaints due to contact with caterpillars, butterflies, or moths is called lepidopterism. The complaints are self-limiting, and treatment is symptomatic. Due to the increasing amount of travelers and the normally harmless character of butterflies and moths, we would like to heighten the awareness of this relatively unknown condition.