Oropouche virus: Understanding “sloth fever” disease dynamics and novel intervention strategies against this emerging neglected tropical disease

Abstract

Oropouche virus (OROV), an arbovirus belonging to the Orthobunyavirus genus and Peribunyaviridae family, is the causative agent of the so-called “sloth fever.” The virus primarily relies on the midge vector Culicoides paraensis for transmission, maintaining both sylvatic and urban cycles. Human infections are characterized by acute febrile symptoms, and severe cases can lead to neurological complications. Since its first isolation in 1955, OROV has caused numerous outbreaks throughout South America, infecting over half a million people. Recent outbreaks in the Amazon and the Caribbean, along with cases reported in U.S. travellers, underscore the growing threat of OROV amid climate change and increased global travel. With no FDA-approved vaccines or specific antiviral treatments available, current management of the disease caused by OROV infection is limited to supportive care. The urgent need for effective vaccines is amplified by the potential for geographic expansion of the virus and its transmitting vector(s). The ongoing development of OROV vaccine candidates represents a crucial step towards controlling future OROV outbreaks and enhancing global public-health preparedness against this emerging infectious disease.

Keywords

• Oropouche virus
• OROV
• arbovirus
• bunyavirus
• sloth fever
• acute febrile illness