Oropouche virus disease: Symptoms and treatment

On this page

• Symptoms of Oropouche virus disease
• If you become ill
• Diagnosing Oropouche virus disease
• Treating Oropouche virus disease

Symptoms of Oropouche virus disease

Symptoms usually start 3 to 8 days after being bitten by an infected biting midge (a very small biting fly also known as a no-see-um) or certain mosquitoes. These insects are found in the areas where Oropouche virus is more common (South America and the Caribbean).

Symptoms may include:

• rash
• chills
• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• diarrhea
• sudden fever
• severe headache
• sensitivity to light
• pain behind the eyes
• muscle and joint pain

Initial symptoms last up to a week but for many people symptoms may go away and come back a few days or weeks later. Most people have mild symptoms and recover without long-term effects.

In rare cases, Oropouche virus disease can cause severe illness, such as:

• hemorrhage (excessive bleeding)
• encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
• meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain)

Current evidence related to Oropouche virus is limited, however early evidence suggests that a pregnant person may pass the Oropouche virus to their unborn baby. This may result in negative outcomes such as stillbirth and microcephaly (smaller than normal head size).

If you become ill

Contact a health care provider if you have:

• symptoms of Oropouche virus disease and
• been to an area where Oropouche virus is spreading

Learn more:

• Oropouche virus disease: Travel health advice

Diagnosing Oropouche virus disease

Oropouche virus disease is diagnosed through a blood test. A health care provider will determine whether you should be tested based on your symptoms and travel history (recently lived in or been to an area where Oropouche virus is common).

A blood test is usually done in the first days to weeks of illness.

Treating Oropouche virus disease

There's no specific treatment or vaccine to prevent Oropouche virus disease. The best way to prevent Oropouche virus disease is to prevent bites from midges and mosquitoes.

If you have symptoms, they will usually resolve on their own within a few days. You can help relieve symptoms by:

• getting rest
• drinking fluids
• taking acetaminophen (like Tylenol) for fever and pain

Do not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and pain relievers that contain acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) unless your health care provider advises you to take them. These medications can increase the risk of bleeding and complications if you have Oropouche virus disease.

Common NSAIDs are:

• ibuprofen, which is found in Motrin and Advil
• naproxen, which is found in Aleve

ASA is a common pain reliever in medications such as Aspirin.