Doctors are raising concerns about a spike in cases of the oropouche virus, also known as "sloth fever," in popular tourist destinations throughout the Caribbean.
What's happening?
According to the Daily Mail, cases of the virus have been reported in several Americans who recently vacationed in certain areas in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. Since January 2024, the United States has recorded about 109 cases of sloth fever, all travel-related, but no deaths have been reported.
The virus is transmitted via bites from infected biting midges, similar to mosquitoes, but it can also be spread by sexual contact.
Doctors who warned about the virus in a paper in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said most people have mild symptoms — including a fever of up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, headaches, and muscle pain.
It can cause vomiting, stomach pain, brain swelling, and rashes in severe cases, though these are extremely rare. While sloth fever is "rarely fatal," according to the Cleveland Clinic, two deaths in previously healthy young women in Brazil in 2024 have doctors on high alert.
Because there are currently no vaccines or antiviral drugs to treat or prevent the spread of sloth fever, the Mail reported, doctors have urged people traveling to tropical locations to take extra precautions.
That said, while the symptoms are often severe and there is no medicinal cure for it, the Cleveland Clinic said that "most people with Oropouche virus disease recover without serious illness in about a week" and that "most people are completely recovered in about a month."
Why is a rise in sloth fever concerning?
While most people recover from the virus on their own, the fact that it can cause more serious symptoms is concerning since there is no cure. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable, as the oropouche virus has been linked to miscarriages and an increased risk of a rare birth defect called microcephaly — a condition where the baby's head is much smaller than expected — per the Daily Mail report.
The World Health Organization said the virus was previously limited to the Caribbean and South America. But since December 2023, there's been a significant rise in cases in nonendemic locations, such as Cuba, where more than 500 cases were confirmed last year, marking the country's first-ever outbreak of the virus.
More than 10,000 cases were reported in 2024 overall — 8,200 of which occurred in Brazil — and several in Ecuador and Guyana, both of which documented cases for the first time.
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Definitely 😠As our planet gets hotter and more humid, it's creating the perfect conditions for vector-borne illnesses like sloth fever to spread and thrive, putting more communities at risk. Research published in the journal Virulence shows that increased urbanization and deforestation near the midge's breeding grounds might play a role in recent outbreaks.
Rising temperatures have allowed other diseases to spread, including tick-borne encephalitis in the United Kingdom and Lyme disease — also transmitted by tick bites — in Maine.
How can you protect yourself against sloth fever?
Doctors urge anyone traveling to areas experiencing outbreaks to wear long sleeves and use mosquito nets and insect repellents. They also recommend that "pregnant people or people planning pregnancy to consider deferring travel to these areas."
Tylenol, or acetaminophen, can reduce muscle aches and fever if you've been diagnosed with the virus.
While researchers are exploring potential treatments for sloth fever, some have found that altering mosquitoes' DNA and adding soap to certain pesticides could drastically reduce malaria infections.
And since rising global temperatures are causing these diseases to become more prevalent, we can keep them from spreading by choosing eco-friendly transportation or switching to electric appliances. Both actions help reduce planet-warming pollution, making the air healthier while creating a less ideal environment for disease-carrying pests.
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