Oropouche Virus: Symptoms, Outbreaks, Pregnancy and Prevention

Oropouche Virus: Symptoms, Outbreaks, Pregnancy and Prevention

Oropouche virus is an infection spread mainly by tiny biting midges in parts of South America, Central America and the Caribbean. It causes sudden fever, severe headache and muscle and joint pain that can return weeks later. There's no vaccine or specific treatment, so preventing bites is the main protection, especially in pregnancy.

This guide is for travelers heading to affected regions, people planning pregnancy or already pregnant, and anyone who has come home feverish from the tropics.

Key takeaways

  • Oropouche virus spreads mainly through bites from infected biting midges (Culicoides paraensis), and some mosquitoes can also spread it.
  • Symptoms usually start 1 to 10 days after a bite and last 2 to 7 days, but they often come back a few days or weeks later.
  • Fewer than 1 in 20 people develop serious disease such as meningitis, encephalitis or bleeding, according to the CDC.
  • Infection in pregnancy has been linked to stillbirth and birth defects including microcephaly, and the CDC advises pregnant travelers to reconsider nonessential travel to areas with a Level 2 Travel Health Notice.
  • Many standard window screens let midges through; the CDC recommends 20x20 mesh screens and EPA-registered repellents labeled for biting flies or Culicoides.

What is Oropouche virus?

Oropouche is a virus that causes Oropouche fever, a sudden illness with fever, headache and body aches. It was first identified in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The CDC explains that the virus spreads mainly through bites from infected biting midges, tiny flies often called "no-see-ums" because they are hard to spot. Some mosquitoes can also carry it. Anyone who lives in or visits an affected area and hasn't been infected before is at risk. Sexual transmission is considered possible but, per the CDC, has not yet been reported.

Oropouche looks a lot like dengue. PAHO notes the symptoms resemble dengue, which matters because both circulate in the same regions and need lab tests to tell apart. If you've followed news about other outbreaks, such as bird flu in humans and animals, Oropouche is different: it's spread by insect bites, not by contact with infected animals or people.

Where are Oropouche outbreaks happening?

Oropouche has long circulated in the Amazon basin, but since late 2023 outbreaks have spread to other parts of South America and the Caribbean, including places with no previous history of the disease.

The CDC's list of countries and territories at risk shows the following:

StatusCountries and territories
Recent transmission (human cases identified 2024 to 2025)Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Venezuela
Previous transmission (last reported before 2024)Argentina, French Guiana, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago

Lists like this change, so check the CDC travel health notices for your destination a few weeks before you leave and again just before departure. PAHO reports that by September 2024, two deaths in infected people had been recorded in Bahia, Brazil. Deaths are rare, but the spread into new areas is why health agencies have raised the profile of this once-obscure virus. For another example of how CDC travel advice works during an outbreak, see our explainer on Ebola travel precautions.

What are the symptoms of Oropouche?

The typical pattern is a sudden fever with severe headache, chills, muscle aches and joint pain, starting 1 to 10 days after a bite and lasting 2 to 7 days. Symptoms often return after a short recovery.

The CDC's symptom page lists:

  • Sudden fever
  • Severe headache
  • Chills, muscle aches and joint pain
  • Sometimes light sensitivity, dizziness, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting or a rash

Two features stand out. First, recurrence: symptoms can come back a few days or even weeks after you feel better. PAHO says up to 60% of cases relapse in the weeks after recovery. Second, serious disease is uncommon but real. The CDC says fewer than 1 in 20 people develop meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (brain inflammation) or bleeding. PAHO adds that complications like aseptic meningitis tend to appear in the second week of illness.

Fever after travel has many possible causes, from dengue and malaria to more unusual infections. Our article on persistent flu-like symptoms and hidden causes explains why your travel history is one of the most useful things you can give a doctor, and our piece on a rare parasitic cause of headaches shows how unusual infections are pieced together.

How is Oropouche treated?

There's no medicine that treats Oropouche and no vaccine to prevent it. Care focuses on rest, fluids and easing symptoms while your body clears the virus.

The CDC recommends rest, drinking fluids to prevent dehydration, and using acetaminophen for fever and pain. Avoid aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen) because of the risk of bleeding. This advice matters more than it might seem: since Oropouche and dengue look alike early on, and dengue also carries a bleeding risk, sticking to acetaminophen until a doctor has assessed you is the safer default.

Some people need more medical care or a hospital stay if symptoms are severe. If your symptoms return after you've recovered, that fits the usual pattern, but still tell your doctor, especially if you develop a stiff neck, confusion or unusual bleeding.

Is Oropouche dangerous in pregnancy?

It can be. Oropouche can pass from a pregnant person to the fetus or to a newborn around birth, and infection in pregnancy has been linked to stillbirth and birth defects such as microcephaly (an unusually small head and brain). Information is still limited.

The CDC's pregnancy guidance says there is little information on Oropouche in pregnancy and that these cases are still being investigated. PAHO's August 2024 risk assessment, summarized on its Oropouche topic page, described one fetal death, one miscarriage and four newborns with microcephaly in Pernambuco, Brazil, possibly linked to the virus.

What the CDC advises if you're pregnant:

  1. Reconsider nonessential travel to areas with a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Oropouche.
  2. Talk to your healthcare provider before you go if travel can't be avoided.
  3. Prevent bites during the trip and for 3 weeks afterward. EPA-registered repellents are described by the CDC as safe and effective in pregnancy.
  4. Cover up with long sleeves and long pants, and stay in air-conditioned rooms or rooms with fine 20x20 mesh screens.
  5. Report symptoms quickly. If you get sick during travel or within 2 weeks of returning, tell your provider where you went so they can test for Oropouche and other regional viruses.
  6. Mention travel at your next prenatal visit even if you feel well. Routine testing isn't recommended without symptoms, but your provider may want to monitor the pregnancy.

Anyone trying to conceive should read the sexual transmission advice in the next section too.

How can travelers prevent Oropouche?

Stop midges and mosquitoes from biting you. That means repellent, covering skin, fine-mesh screens and nets, and continuing precautions for 3 weeks after you return.

Use this checklist, based on the CDC's prevention page and PAHO guidance:

  • Repellent: pick an EPA-registered repellent labeled for flies, biting flies or Culicoides. PAHO lists DEET and icaridin (also called picaridin) as suitable ingredients.
  • Clothing: wear long sleeves and long pants, especially outdoors at dawn and dusk.
  • Screens and nets: many standard screens have holes big enough for midges. Look for 20x20 mesh screens, and use fine-mesh nets over beds.
  • Fans: outdoor fans help blow midges away.
  • After the trip: keep preventing bites for 3 weeks so you don't pass the virus to local insects at home.
  • Sex: the CDC suggests travelers concerned about spread consider condoms or abstaining during travel and for 6 weeks afterward. Men diagnosed with Oropouche should use condoms or avoid sex for at least 6 weeks from the start of symptoms. There isn't enough data yet for a firm recommendation for women.
  • Donations: consider waiting 4 weeks after illness resolves to donate blood, and at least 6 weeks from symptom onset to donate semen.

While you're planning a trip, it's a good moment to check routine vaccines too; our article on measles and the MMR vaccine explains why travelers are a common route for imported measles. And if you go swimming in freshwater on your trip, read about infections linked to lake swimming.

Common mistakes travelers make

  • Relying on ordinary window screens. Midges fit through many standard screens.
  • Stopping precautions at the airport. The CDC advises 3 more weeks of bite prevention after you get home.
  • Taking ibuprofen or aspirin for a travel fever. Stick to acetaminophen until a doctor rules out bleeding-prone infections like dengue.
  • Assuming you're cured when symptoms fade. Relapse is common, so a second wave of fever doesn't necessarily mean a new illness.
  • Forgetting to mention travel. Doctors at home may not think of Oropouche unless you tell them where you've been.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you develop fever, severe headache, or muscle and joint pain during travel or after returning from an area with Oropouche, and tell them about your travel history. Get urgent care for:

  • A stiff neck, confusion, severe drowsiness or a seizure, which can signal meningitis or encephalitis.
  • Bleeding from the gums or nose, blood in vomit or stool, or unusual bruising.
  • Signs of dehydration, such as very little urine, dizziness on standing or being unable to keep fluids down.
  • Any fever or rash during pregnancy after travel, or within 2 weeks of returning.
  • Symptoms that return after initial recovery and are worse the second time.

FAQ

Is there a vaccine for Oropouche?

No. The CDC states that no vaccine is available to prevent Oropouche, and there are no medicines that treat it. Protection depends entirely on avoiding bites from midges and mosquitoes using repellent, protective clothing and fine-mesh screens and nets. Pregnant travelers should also consider postponing nonessential trips to affected areas.

Can Oropouche spread from person to person?

Not through casual contact. It spreads mainly through midge and mosquito bites. It can pass from a pregnant person to the fetus. Sexual transmission is considered possible, although the CDC says it has not yet been reported, so it advises condoms or abstaining for 6 weeks in some situations as a precaution.

How long does Oropouche last?

The first bout usually lasts 2 to 7 days. Many people then have a relapse a few days or weeks later; PAHO says up to 60% of cases relapse. Most people recover fully. A smaller group, fewer than 1 in 20 according to the CDC, develop more serious illness that may need hospital care.

Can I still travel to affected countries?

Most travelers can, using strict bite prevention. The main exception is pregnancy: the CDC advises pregnant travelers to reconsider nonessential travel to areas with a Level 2 Travel Health Notice and to discuss plans with their healthcare provider first. Check current notices before booking, since affected areas change.

What to do next

  1. Check the CDC's current Oropouche country list and travel notices for your destination.
  2. Pack an EPA-registered repellent labeled for biting flies, long lightweight clothing and a fine-mesh bed net.
  3. If you're pregnant or trying to conceive, talk to your provider before booking.
  4. Plan to keep preventing bites for 3 weeks after you return, and see a doctor promptly if fever starts.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 2026.

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