Travelers advised to be cautious of sloth-virus originating in South America and the Caribbean regions.
In recent developments, health authorities have issued travel advisories for pregnant women and EU/EEA citizens visiting South America and the Caribbean due to ongoing outbreaks of the Oropouche virus (OROV).
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has assessed the impact of OROV as low, but the risk for EU/EEA travellers visiting OROV-epidemic countries in the Americas is "moderate." This is primarily due to the virus's expansion beyond the Amazon region to countries such as Cuba, Panama, and parts of Brazil, with travel-related cases reported in the U.S. and Europe.
The OROV, a disease originating in sloths and spread to humans by midges and some mosquitoes, has been linked to over 8,000 cases in 2024 in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Cuba. Unfortunately, no vaccines are available against OROV, making avoidance of bites and exposure the main preventive strategy.
For pregnant women, there are concerns that OROV infection can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby, potentially leading to poor fetal outcomes, as reported notably in Brazil during 2024 outbreaks. The U.S. CDC currently recommends pregnant individuals postpone non-essential travel to Cuba or strictly follow preventive measures if travel is unavoidable.
For all travellers, including EU/EEA citizens, it is advised to take personal protective measures against midge bites, the primary transmission vector. This includes using insect repellents, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding outdoor activities during peak midge activity times. Travelers are also encouraged to consult travel health clinics six weeks before departure to receive personalized advice and ensure routine vaccinations are up to date.
In the European Union, no new cases of OROV have been reported. However, all but one of the 19 imported OROV cases in the EU were associated with travel to Cuba. The remaining infected European had visited Brazil, not Cuba. The species of midge that is the main vector for OROV (Culicoides paraensis midge) does not exist on the European continent, making an outbreak in Europe unlikely.
It is important to note that OROV infection in pregnant women may lead to miscarriage, abortion, developmental problems, and deformities of the foetus, including microcephaly, a condition characterized by an abnormally small head. The ECDC warns that there are no vaccines to prevent or specific medication to treat OROV disease.
The usually good prognosis for recovery from OROV remains unchanged, with symptoms including headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and occasionally more severe symptoms. The risk of person-to-person OROV transmission, except for six possible cases of mother-to-child infection during pregnancy, has been reported.
In conclusion, pregnant women are particularly advised to avoid travel to affected regions if possible, and all travellers should apply stringent insect bite prevention measures when visiting South America and the Caribbean where OROV is actively circulating, especially Brazil and Cuba.
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