9 things to know about sloth fever

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Sloth Fever, or Oropouche virus, has recently had cases of the virus in the United States, including Florida.

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Here are 9 things to know about sloth fever according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Read: CDC issues warning over ‘sloth fever,’ 2 cases reported in Orange County

• The virus was first detected in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago and is endemic in the Amazon basin.
• The virus gets the name “Sloth Virus” as the virus is transmitted between mosquitoes and non-human-vertebrate hosts such as sloths.
• Oropouche virus disease typically presents as an abrupt onset of fever, severe headache, chills, myalgia, and arthralgia.
• Clinical presentation is commonly mistaken for other arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, and malaria.
• There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Oropouche.

CDC issues warning over ‘sloth fever,’ 2 cases reported in Orange County The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about what’s called “sloth fever” or “sloth virus.” (WFTV)

• The incubation period for Oropouche virus disease is 3–10 days.
• Symptoms typically last less than a week (2–7 days), however, in up to 60% of patients, symptoms can reoccur a few days or even weeks later.
• Prevention relies on personal protective measures to avoid bites.
• Treatment for symptoms can include rest, fluids, and use of analgesics and antipyretics.

Read: ‘It could be a health threat’: Officials warn about dengue, sloth fever in Orange County

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