More than 20 people who have returned to the United States from Cuba in recent months have been infected with a virus transmitted by insects, federal health authorities reported on the 27th, all of them contracted oropouche, a viral disease also known as sloth fever, none of them. people have died and there is no evidence that the disease is spreading in the United States but US authorities warn doctors to be alert to infection in travelers from Cuba and South America Hello friends Welcome to the es mediquo informative podcast Me I am Dr. Elel Céspedes and I will always be accompanying you on issues related to the world of medicine. The health authorities of the United States reported this August 27 that they have identified among people who returned from Cuba 21 cases of oropouche fever, three of which These 21 cases had to be hospitalized, they were counted until last August 16 and in most of them the diagnoses showed symptoms between the months of May and July without any deaths being recorded, said the Centers for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CDC). in English from the United States, in a weekly report, the presence of oropouche fever has set off the alarms of international health organizations and is generating concern in various countries, especially in the United States, known as sloth fever or oroche virus disease, caught attention Due to its rapid spread and although its name may be misleading, it is not transmitted by contact with sloths but rather through blood-sucking insects, particularly genes and mosquitoes. Oropouche fever, for which there is no treatment or vaccines, is a disease transmitted by vectors. which spreads mainly between people through the bite of an insect commonly known as a midge or clex mosquito, oropouche is a virus native to forested tropics and was first discovered in 19155 in a 24-year-old forestry worker in the The disease has sometimes been called sloth fever because the first scientists who investigated the virus detected it in three-toed sloths and believed that these animals were important . for its transmission between insects and animals in July of this year after the death of two women in the northeast of Brazil, the Pan-American health organization issued a warning. These were the first fatalities attributed to the Oro poche virus, according to the news . have reported cases of microcephaly in newborns and spontaneous abortions in pregnant and infected women, which led to comparing this situation with the sica outbreak that affected Latin America between 2015 and 2016, although the oropouche virus was always a concern in In recent years, Latin America had taken a backseat due to the outbreaks of Chikungunya pica and dengue. However, the recent increase in cases and their geographical expansion once again set off alarms in the international scientific community. The symptoms include the sudden appearance of fever, pain. headache stiffness in the joints pain discomfort and in some cases diarrhea double vision persistent nausea and vomiting gum bleeding in the nose gynecological bleeding petechiae or blood spots on the skin these manifestations can be easily confused with other viral infections, making it difficult to treat Diagnosis according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States, around 60 percent of infected people present symptoms and although the majority recover in less than a month, in some cases serious complications such as encephalitis and meningitis were reported. They can last from cco to 7 days. In recent months, up to 8,000 confirmed cases have been detected in areas and countries in South America and the Caribbean such as Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and Cuba, with no history of this virus, which merited a health alert from Of the CDC of these cases, two resulted in a death of the patient of the cases detected in the United States 20 They correspond to residents of Florida and one to New York according to information from the CDC. Unlike other viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, sloth fever also has a more complex transmission cycle due to the participation of different species of insects, which could explain its recent expansion to new areas outside the Amazon Basin. Health authorities in both Australia and other countries warn about the need to carry out adequate testing of travelers returning from affected areas to detect possible infections and contain the spread of the fever. of the sloth or the oropouche Although it is not yet a global threat, it has shown up to this point a worrying behavior that requires attention and preventive measures. Last week, the same centers for disease prevention control in the United States issued an alert urging American citizens Those who plan to travel to Cuba or who are already on the island to take extreme precautions and avoid infection by the Oro Poche virus. The recommendation includes the use of insect repellent, long-sleeved clothing and accommodation in places protected with mosquito nets. It is also advised. Avoid outdoor activities during sunrise and sunset when mosquitoes are most active due to the rapid spread of the virus and limited access to advanced medical care in Cuba. The CDC suggested travelers consider postponing non-essential travel especially in case of pregnant women, if the trip is unavoidable, prevention recommendations must be strictly followed for those who are already in Cuba. The CDC advises closely monitoring your health and seeking immediate medical attention if symptoms of Gold fever appear. They also remember to avoid medications such as aspirin. or ibuprofen that can increase the risk of bleeding, the director of hygiene and epidemiology of Cuba, Dr. Francisco Durán, recently recognized the complex epidemiological situation on the island due to the spread of several viruses such as influenza, dengue and oropouche. Duran also stressed that cases of oropouche have been recorded with up to three relapses in a month with recurrent symptoms of general malaise and fever Durán also noted that there was a considerable increase in cases of oropouche that continuous surveillance is maintained due to the serious complications that they can also cause during their intervention highlighted the need to study more about this disease especially in the context of the health crises in the country and underlined the importance of attending a medical center for a proper diagnosis. The doctor warned about the danger of co-infections such as the combination of dengue and del Oro pouche that complicates clinical management due to the overlap of symptoms and is that the oropouche virus found on the island of Cuba ideal conditions for transmission: rain, high temperatures, the presence of a transmitting agent and a weakened immune system. health that has not been able, unlike what has happened on other previous occasions, to carry out an effective fumigation treatment, vector analysis, among other factors, which has favored the virus to spread to all the provinces of the country according to official media. Since the arrest of the first case of l oropouche in Cuba on May 27, the virus spread throughout all the provinces with more than 400 confirmed cases until the beginning of August, but we must remember regarding the above that for the health system and the health authorities, it is impossible to diagnose all the patients who may have the disease because at this time there are no commercial diagnostic tests like what existed, for example, at the time of covid-19, which in many countries were available in pharmacies and that's it for the podcast. today remember to share all this information so that you can go further And so you can better take care of your health and that of your family members Thank you for being here and see you tomorrow in a new episode