What we know about the deadly ‘sloth virus’ detected in Europe

The virus was recently detected in Europe for the first time, with 19 cases reported across Spain, Italy, and Germany.

With cases of Black Death plague, mpox and bird flu preoccupying health authorities worldwide, there is another deadly virus causing concern.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning to clinicians and public health authorities about the rise in Oropouche virus (OROV) disease cases in the Americas, with expectations that new cases may be reported in additional countries.
In June and July of this year, 19 cases of Oropouche virus disease, also referred to as “sloth fever,” were reported for the first time in European countries.
Of these, 12 cases were in Spain, five in Italy, and two in Germany, according to a report published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) earlier this month.
These cases were imported by travellers returning from regions where the virus is active, including Cuba and Brazil, the ECDC indicated.
The Oropouche virus primarily spreads in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Last month, Brazil reported its first deaths from the virus, with two women, aged 21 and 24, succumbing to severe bleeding and hypotension amid an outbreak of the disease.
Additionally, the month before, a woman who exhibited symptoms of the Oropouche virus lost her baby at 30 weeks, and the virus was subsequently detected in the umbilical cord and organs.
The Oropouche virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bites of infected midges, which are tiny flies.
However, in some cases, mosquitoes may also carry and spread the virus.
According to the ECDC, while the midges responsible for spreading the Oropouche virus are common in the Americas, they are not found in Europe, and there is limited evidence regarding whether European organisms could transmit the virus.
There is also no evidence to suggest that the virus can be spread directly from person to person.
However, reports from the Brazilian Ministry of Health indicate that transmission from a pregnant mother to her child can occur.
In such cases, the virus can lead to complications such as miscarriage, abortion, and foetal deformities.
“The likelihood of human exposure to OROV in the EU/EEA is considered very low, despite the possible importation of further OROV disease cases,” the ECDC risk assessment states.
Still, while the risk of contracting OROV disease within Europe remains low, the likelihood of infection can increase in certain circumstances.
For example, citizens travelling to or residing in epidemic areas of South and Central America face a moderate risk of infection.
This risk is higher for those visiting the most affected regions, such as northern Brazil or the Amazon, particularly if they do not take personal protective measures.
Nevertheless, the risk assessment notes that “given the good prognosis for recovery, the impact is assessed as low”.
Infection with “sloth fever” initially presents with a sudden high fever, along with a severe headache, chills, muscle pain, and joint pain.
According to the CDC, additional symptoms reported by those affected include sensitivity to light, dizziness, eye pain, nausea, vomiting, and a rash that begins on the body and spreads to the arms and legs.
In some less common cases, individuals may also experience red eyes, diarrhoea, severe stomach pain, and bleeding.
These symptoms usually manifest three to 10 days after exposure and generally last between two to seven days. However, in up to 60 percent of cases, symptoms may recur days or weeks later with similar intensity.
Currently, there are no vaccines or specific medicines available to prevent or treat Oropouche virus disease.
The best preventive measures involve avoiding bites from midges and mosquitoes in areas where the virus is present by using repellents, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets.