The Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fiocruz) confirmed the diagnosis of Oropouche fever in a patient from Rio de Janeiro with a travel history to Manaus. It is the first case of the disease diagnosed in the state.
Laboratory confirmation was carried out by the Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Virus Laboratory of the IOC, which acts as Regional Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses with the Ministry of Health.
The finding was reported to the Health authorities, in accordance with official procedures.
With symptoms similar to a case of dengue, the patient was treated by the Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INI/Fiocruz), who sent serum samples for analysis by the Reference Laboratory.
Since the tests for dengue, chikungunya and Zika had negative results, analyzes were carried out for Oropouche fever, following the protocol implemented in the Laboratory.
The diagnosis was confirmed by serological testing, which identifies antibodies to the disease.
According to virologist Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, deputy head of the Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Virus Laboratory at the IOC, two types of tests can identify the infection.
During the acute phase of the disease, which lasts two to seven days after the onset of symptoms, it is possible to detect the genetic material of the Oropouche virus in patients' serum samples using the RT-PCR technique.
From the fifth day after the onset of symptoms, patients begin to present antibodies against the Oropouche virus in their blood, which can be identified by serological tests.
“In this case, the sample was no longer in the acute phase, so the virus genome was not detected by the PCR test. However, serology confirmed the recent infection with the Oropouche virus”, stated Ana Bispo.
The patient from Rio de Janeiro diagnosed with Oropouche fever had a travel history to Manaus. The state of Amazonas is seeing an increase in cases of the disease, with an epidemiological alert recently issued by the state Health Surveillance Foundation.
Considering the scenario of Oropouche fever in the country, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses implemented an investigation protocol for the disease.
All samples received relating to suspected cases of arboviruses are initially tested for dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
In cases with a negative result for the three most common arboviruses, samples are tested for Oropouche fever.
“We established this protocol about three months ago, as a result of what has been happening in the North Region. All samples received by the Laboratory as suspected cases of dengue or with indication of 'dengue-like' syndrome [i.e., with signs and symptoms typical of dengue] and which have negative results in tests for dengue, chikungunya and Zika, are subjected to additional tests to detect other viruses in circulation”, details Ana Bispo.
As a Regional Reference Laboratory for the Ministry of Health, the Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Virus Laboratory of IOC receives samples from six states: Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Norte.
In addition to dengue, chikungunya, Zika and Oropouche fever, the reference service covers several arboviruses of clinical-epidemiological importance, such as yellow fever, Mayaro, West Nile fever and Saint Louis encephalitis, among others.
the laboratory of IOC is part of the Network of Arbovirus Laboratories of the Region of the Americas (Relda) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Global Network of Yellow Fever Laboratories of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Oropouche fever is caused by Orthobunyavirus oropoucheense (OROV). The virus was first isolated in Brazil in 1960. Since then, it has been detected mainly in states in the Amazon region.
The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and can circulate in wild and urban environments.
In the wild cycle, animals such as sloths and monkeys are infected. In the urban cycle, human beings are the most infected.
The Culicoides paraensis mosquito, known as maruim or sandfly, is identified as the main transmitter of Oropouche fever in both wild and urban areas.
In urban areas, the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito, popularly called mosquito or mosquito, can also occasionally transmit the virus.
The Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fiocruz) confirmed the diagnosis of Oropouche fever in a patient from Rio de Janeiro with a travel history to Manaus. It is the first case of the disease diagnosed in the state.
Laboratory confirmation was carried out by the Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Virus Laboratory of the IOC, which acts as Regional Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses with the Ministry of Health.
The finding was reported to the Health authorities, in accordance with official procedures.
With symptoms similar to a case of dengue, the patient was treated by the Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INI/Fiocruz), who sent serum samples for analysis by the Reference Laboratory.
Since the tests for dengue, chikungunya and Zika had negative results, analyzes were carried out for Oropouche fever, following the protocol implemented in the Laboratory.
The diagnosis was confirmed by serological testing, which identifies antibodies to the disease.
According to virologist Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, deputy head of the Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Virus Laboratory at the IOC, two types of tests can identify the infection.
During the acute phase of the disease, which lasts two to seven days after the onset of symptoms, it is possible to detect the genetic material of the Oropouche virus in patients' serum samples using the RT-PCR technique.
From the fifth day after the onset of symptoms, patients begin to present antibodies against the Oropouche virus in their blood, which can be identified by serological tests.
“In this case, the sample was no longer in the acute phase, so the virus genome was not detected by the PCR test. However, serology confirmed the recent infection with the Oropouche virus”, stated Ana Bispo.
The patient from Rio de Janeiro diagnosed with Oropouche fever had a travel history to Manaus. The state of Amazonas is seeing an increase in cases of the disease, with an epidemiological alert recently issued by the state Health Surveillance Foundation.
Considering the scenario of Oropouche fever in the country, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses implemented an investigation protocol for the disease.
All samples received relating to suspected cases of arboviruses are initially tested for dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
In cases with a negative result for the three most common arboviruses, samples are tested for Oropouche fever.
“We established this protocol about three months ago, as a result of what has been happening in the North Region. All samples received by the Laboratory as suspected cases of dengue or with indication of 'dengue-like' syndrome [i.e., with signs and symptoms typical of dengue] and which have negative results in tests for dengue, chikungunya and Zika, are subjected to additional tests to detect other viruses in circulation”, details Ana Bispo.
As a Regional Reference Laboratory for the Ministry of Health, the Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Virus Laboratory of IOC receives samples from six states: Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Norte.
In addition to dengue, chikungunya, Zika and Oropouche fever, the reference service covers several arboviruses of clinical-epidemiological importance, such as yellow fever, Mayaro, West Nile fever and Saint Louis encephalitis, among others.
the laboratory of IOC is part of the Network of Arbovirus Laboratories of the Region of the Americas (Relda) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Global Network of Yellow Fever Laboratories of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Oropouche fever is caused by Orthobunyavirus oropoucheense (OROV). The virus was first isolated in Brazil in 1960. Since then, it has been detected mainly in states in the Amazon region.
The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and can circulate in wild and urban environments.
In the wild cycle, animals such as sloths and monkeys are infected. In the urban cycle, human beings are the most infected.
The Culicoides paraensis mosquito, known as maruim or sandfly, is identified as the main transmitter of Oropouche fever in both wild and urban areas.
In urban areas, the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito, popularly called mosquito or mosquito, can also occasionally transmit the virus.
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