Full Genome Characterization of the First Oropouche Virus Isolate Imported in Europe from Cuba.

On 27 May 2024, the Cuban Ministry of Health reported the first outbreak of Oropouche fever on the island. The etiologic agent, Oropouche virus (OROV), is a poorly understood arbovirus that has been known since the 1960s and represents a public health burden in Latin America. We report the whole-genome characterization of the first European OROV isolate from a returning traveler from Cuba with Oropouche fever-like symptoms.

Replication-Competent Oropouche Virus in Semen of Traveler Returning to Italy from Cuba, 2024.

A febrile man in Italy who had traveled to Cuba in July 2024 was diagnosed with Oropouche fever. Reverse transcription PCR detected prolonged shedding of Oropouche virus RNA in whole blood, serum, urine, and semen. Sixteen days after symptom onset, replication-competent virus was detected in semen, suggesting risk for sexual transmission.

ddPCR for the Detection and Absolute Quantification of Oropouche Virus.

Background: Oropouche virus (OROV) is a segmented RNA virus belonging to the genus in the family . Herein, an in-house droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay was used for the detection and quantification of OROV.

Methods: The ddPCR reaction was assessed as duplex assay using the human housekeeping gene .