What is sloth fever and its symptoms? Here’s what Canadians need to know

The federal government has posted a health notice for travellers regarding the Oropouche virus infection in the Americas, sometimes referred to as sloth fever.

“It is spread to humans through the bite of an infected midge (small fly) or mosquito. The mosquitoes are most active during the night, while the midges are most active during the afternoon. Both insects can be found outside and inside of homes,” per the Travel Canada notice.

It was detected in a blood sample from a sloth in Brazil 1960, which is where it got its nickname, according to Scientific American.

The symptoms, which are similar to dengue, Travel Canada said, include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, joint pain, muscle pain sensitivity to light, pain behind the eyes and a rash in some cases.

The Travel Canada webpage dedicated to Oropouche was updated on Aug. 9 and advised Canadians to practice health precautions. The warning was rated a Level 1, the lowest risk of the 4 warning levels. The precautions include avoiding insect bites, practising proper hand washing and being up-to-date on all recommended vaccinations, per the government.

The announcement is especially crucial for pregnant women to be aware of, according to the notice, because early research shows that the virus infection could be transmitted to a fetus.

“Most travellers are at low risk. People who spend a lot of time outdoors may be at higher risk because they are more likely to come into contact with insects,” according to the notice.

The number of cases of Oropouche is higher than expected in the Americas, although there have been cases there before. There are also cases emerging from areas where the virus had not previously been detected in Brazil, Bolivia and Cuba, the government said.

There are currently no vaccines or treatments for Oropouche.

Travel Canada’s notice comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert in August warning of the increased risk of the Oropouche virus to travellers in the Americas, particularly those visiting the Amazon basin and areas in South America and the Caribbean where the disease has newly been spotted.

A CDC report released on Tuesday stated the infection was detected in 21 American travellers who had been returning from Cuba.

Between January and August, more than 8,000 cases have been reported, according to the CDC, including two deaths.

There were also five cases where the virus was transmitted from mother to fetus where fetal death or congenital abnormalities were reported.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization and its regional office, the Pan American Health Organization, urged countries throughout the Americas to ramp up surveillance of the overlooked and underdiagnosed disease. That’s a difficult task, as Oropouche is often confused with another virus that’s having a record-breaking year in the Americas: dengue.

The best way to distinguish between the two is through diagnostic tools. Oropouche causes symptoms in about 6 in 10 people it infects.

It’s still not well understood what puts some people at risk of more severe health complications, the CDC said. Health authorities around the world are currently investigating the risk it poses to pregnant people.

The U.S. public health agency is advising that travellers who have symptoms consistent with the disease be evaluated and get tested for the virus.

The CDC warned that measures are needed to prevent potential importation of the virus to the U.S., where there’s no current evidence of local transmission. Meanwhile, the Canadian government urged travellers to seek medical care if any Oropouche symptoms develop.

With additional reporting by Bloomberg

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