Oropouche fever

What is Oropouche Fever?

Oropouche fever (or Oropouche virus disease) is a febrile illness caused by Oropouche virus (OROV). OROV is an arbovirus of the Orthobunyavirus genus, belonging to the family Peribunyaviridae. It was first discovered in a small community, Vega de Oropouche, in Trinidad, an island country in Eastern Caribbean, in 1955. It is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected midges, particularly the species Culicoides paraensis although it may also be spread by certain types of mosquitoes. The natural ecological cycle of the virus involves other hosts such as non-human primates, sloths and birds.