Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of confirmed cases of Oropouche fever in Santiago de Cuba province
Abstract
Introduction: In May 2024, an increase in febrile syndromes was detected in the health areas of La Maya and Boniato with negative IgM test results for dengue virus. Upon referring the samples to the virology laboratory of the Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine, some tested positive for Oropouche virus disease.
Objective: Clinical and epidemiological characterization of confirmed cases of Oropouche fever in Santiago de Cuba.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 75 patients; the database of confirmed cases from the Provincial Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology was used as the information source. Variables such as age, sex, and municipality of residence were considered. Symptoms and date of onset were taken into account, along with the percentage as a summary measure. The statistical estimators used were the mean and median.
Results: The most affected age groups were 15–24 and 45–54 years; 52% of cases were female. The presence of Oropouche virus was detected in eight municipalities, with 75% of cases coming from rural or semi-rural areas. The most frequent symptoms were fever and headache, and 77.3% reported relapses of the disease.
Conclusions: The virus showed a re-emergence pattern, with clinical and epidemiological characteristics similar to those described in other countries. Health surveillance proved effective, allowing control measures to be implemented for the outbreak. The relapse rate was high, and the neurological manifestations of the disease warrant more specific study.
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