Listen to Story A rare virus known as "sloth fever" has been identified in 21 travellers returning to the U.S. from Cuba, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Sloth fever, named after its initial discovery in South American sloths, and labelled a "mysterious threat" by the Lancet , is an emerging threat by health experts. The virus, formally known as oropouche fever, has recently claimed the lives of two women in their twenties in Brazil . It is believed to be transmitted by mosquitoes and midges and has now been detected in Europe, with 19 cases reported this year—12 in Spain, five in Italy, and two in Germany.
The virus spreads primarily through insect bites from mosquitoes or midges that have fed on the blood of sloths, monkeys, or birds. It shares similarities with dengue fever and poses a particular risk to pregnant women. Symptoms typically include fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, chills, and sensitivity to light.
The virus spreads primarily through insect bites from mosquitoes or midges that have fed on the blood of sloths, monkeys, or birds. (Photo: Getty Images) In rare cases, it can lead to severe conditions like meningitis and encephalitis. Although most people recover without lasting effects, the virus could be dangerous to unborn babies, potentially leading to stillbirth, miscarriage, or birth defects.
HOW DOES SLOTH FEVER AFFECT PREGNANT WOMEN? Currently, there is no vaccine or cure for sloth fever. Prevention i.