The Gazette | Dengue, oropouche, zika and chikungunya: find out the symptoms of each disease

Caused by a virus transmitted mainly by mosquitoes known as maruim, blackfly or sandfly, oropouche fever has some similar symptoms to other arboviruses, such as dengue, zika or chikungunya. To understand how these diseases differ, The Gazette He listened to experts to explain each of them.

Infectious disease specialist and professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (Ufes) Paulo Mendes Peçanha explains that orouche fever is similar to dengue, causing a headache, body pain, joint pain, a mild malaise and prostration.

“Even in terms of duration, it is an infection also similar to dengue, which lasts from 2 to 7 days. But there is an important difference in relation to dengue: there are still no reports of deaths”, highlights Peçanha.

Regarding chikungunya, he notes that other differences are also noticeable. Oropouche fever is febrile, but arthralgia, or joint pain, is mild and temporary, and does not become chronic. In the case of chikungunya, joint pain is more frequent and lasting.

Carolina Sales, professor at the Department of Nursing and coordinator of the Epidemiology Laboratory (LabEpi) at Ufes, points out that, in rare cases, generally involving immunocompromised patients, oropouche can affect the central nervous system, causing conditions such as aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

“It can also cause some bleeding issues, such as red spots on the skin and bleeding gums,” notes Carolina.

Symptoms, however, are infrequent and, unlike dengue, there are no reports of internal bleeding.

“When we talk about dengue, zika or chikungunya, there are some differences. In dengue fever, the fever is always present, with a sudden onset. In chikungunya, we have joint pain. When we think about Zika, those spots on the skin already appear within the first 24 hours, associated with pruritus (itching), which can be mild to intense, and redness in the eyes, which is not present in dengue, but can be present in both zika and chikungunya”, highlights the professor.

Although oropouche fever is a simpler disease, especially in the long term, the infectious disease specialist at Rede Meridional Luis Henrique Barbosa Borges points out that, during the virus’s incubation period, the symptoms can be as intense as those of other arboviruses.

“Oropouche causes fever, muscle, joint and headache pain. Until then, it is very similar to dengue and chikungunya. It can also cause nausea. It takes three to five days, but it is a disease that can have a new cycle after improvement, that is, the symptoms can return, which also differentiates (the oropouche virus) from the others”, details Luis Henrique.

The infectologist points out that, to infect a human, the maruim needs to be contaminated with the oropouche virus. In other words, before transmitting, the insect must have bitten an infected person or animal.

“And it’s a mosquito that doesn’t have a schedule. It’s in those regions that have a lot of humidity, closer to the ground, where the sun doesn’t usually shine”, explains the infectious disease specialist.

In this sense, he advises that, in addition to the precautions already taken with dengue fever, in relation to stagnant water, people avoid the accumulation of organic matter, such as rotted wood, tree and fruit bark, mud, and keep their yards clean. . Those who live close to forested areas should pay extra attention.

Oropouche fever: progresses with sudden onset fever, headache, muscle and joint pain. It can also cause dizziness, pain behind the eyes, photophobia, nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, there may be involvement of the central nervous system, especially in immunocompromised patients and hemorrhagic manifestations, such as bleeding gums. In some patients, symptoms may reappear after a few days of apparent improvement. Mosquito bites can cause swelling and itching, unlike dengue.

Dengue: The first symptoms are usually a high and sudden fever, headache, muscle pain behind the eyes, nausea and prostration. In severe cases, there may be bleeding.

Zika: spots on the skin tend to appear in the first 24 hours, associated with pruritus (itching). In addition to the simpler symptoms of dengue, there is also often redness in the eyes.

Chikungunya: In addition to the most common symptoms of dengue, in the case of chikungunya, joint pain tends to be more intense and can become chronic, remaining for a long period after the other symptoms disappear. Redness in the eyes may also occur.

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