Rocio Virus: An Updated View on an Elusive Flavivirus
Marielena Vogel Saivish,
Vivaldo Gomes da Costa,
Gabriela de Lima Menezes,
Roosevelt Alves da Silva,
Gislaine Celestino Dutra da Silva,
Marcos Lázaro Moreli,
Livia Sacchetto,
Carolina Colombelli Pacca,
Nikos Vasilakis,
Maurício Lacerda Nogueira
Affiliations
Marielena Vogel Saivish
Laboratório de Pesquisas em Virologia, Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Vivaldo Gomes da Costa
Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto 15054-000, SP, Brazil
Gabriela de Lima Menezes
Núcleo Colaborativo de Biosistemas, Universidade Federal de Jataí, Jataí 75801-615, GO, Brazil
Roosevelt Alves da Silva
Núcleo Colaborativo de Biosistemas, Universidade Federal de Jataí, Jataí 75801-615, GO, Brazil
Gislaine Celestino Dutra da Silva
Laboratório de Pesquisas em Virologia, Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Marcos Lázaro Moreli
Núcleo Colaborativo de Biosistemas, Universidade Federal de Jataí, Jataí 75801-615, GO, Brazil
Livia Sacchetto
Laboratório de Pesquisas em Virologia, Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Carolina Colombelli Pacca
Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto 15054-000, SP, Brazil
Nikos Vasilakis
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Maurício Lacerda Nogueira
Laboratório de Pesquisas em Virologia, Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Rocio virus (ROCV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus and human pathogen. The virus is indigenous to Brazil and was first detected in 1975 in the Sao Paulo State, and over a period of two years was responsible for several epidemics of meningoencephalitis in coastal communities leading to over 100 deaths. The vast majority of ROCV infections are believed to be subclinical and clinical manifestations can range from uncomplicated fever to fatal meningoencephalitis. Birds are the natural reservoir and amplification hosts and ROCV is maintained in nature in a mosquito-bird-mosquito transmission cycle, primarily involving Psorophora ferox mosquitoes. While ROCV has remained mostly undetected since 1976, in 2011 it re-emerged in Goiás State causing a limited outbreak. Control of ROCV outbreaks depends on sustainable vector control measures and public education. To date there is no specific treatment or licensed vaccine available. Here we provide an overview of the ecology, transmission cycles, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment options, aiming to improve our ability to understand, predict, and ideally avert further ROCV emergence.
