Researchers at a recent international conference confirmed the reemergence of the Chapare virus in Bolivia. First identified over 15 years ago, the virus resurfaced last year, claiming three lives amid dengue-like symptoms.
During the International Symposium on Tropical and Subtropical Horticulture in Mediterranean Climate (TROPMED2020), U.S. CDC researchers highlighted a concerning development in Bolivia. A November 16, 2020, publication detailed the Chapare virus, which first appeared in Bolivia's Chapare province in 2003, resulting in one fatality.
In La Paz in 2019, physicians treated three patients for hemorrhagic fever; one succumbed. Five contacts became infected, with two fatalities. This outbreak claimed three lives, or four including the 2003 case.
Belonging to the arenavirus family, the Chapare virus resides in rodents. Epidemiologist Caitlin Cossaboom noted that multiple bodily fluids can transmit it. Animal-to-human spread occurs via direct or indirect contact with urine, saliva, scratches, or bites. Human-to-human transmission involves urine, blood, semen, saliva, and respiratory secretions, with medical procedures like chest compressions, CPR, or intubations posing risks.
Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding gums, rash, and retro-orbital pain. Experts warn the virus may circulate undetected, mimicking dengue fever.
Unlike respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2, this pathogen is considered more controllable. No specific treatment exists; care is supportive, including IV fluids.
