Congenital Oropouche in Humans: Clinical Characterization of a Possible New Teratogenic Syndrome

Oropouche fever is caused by the Oropouche virus (OROV; Bunyaviridae, Orthobunyavirus), one of the most frequent arboviruses that infect humans in the Brazilian Amazon. This year, an OROV outbreak was identified in Brazil, and its vertical transmission was reported, which was associated with fetal death and microcephaly. We describe the clinical manifestations identified in three cases of congenital OROV infection with confirmed serology (OROV-IgM) in the mother-newborn binomial. One of the newborns died, and post-mortem molecular analysis using real-time RT-qPCR identified the OROV genome in several tissues. All three newborns were born in the Amazon region in Brazil, and the mothers reported fever, rash, headache, myalgia, and/or retro-orbital pain during pregnancy. The newborns presented with severe microcephaly secondary to brain damage and arthrogryposis, suggestive of an embryo/fetal disruptive process at birth. Brain and spinal images identified overlapping sutures, cerebral atrophy, brain cysts, thinning of the spinal cord, corpus callosum, and posterior fossa abnormalities. Fundoscopic findings included macular chorioretinal scars, focal pigment mottling, and vascular attenuation. The clinical presentation of vertical OROV infection resembled congenital Zika syndrome to some extent but presents some distinctive features on brain imaging and in several aspects of its neurological presentation. A recognizable syndrome with severe brain damage, neurological alterations, arthrogryposis, and fundoscopic abnormalities can be associated with in utero OROV infection.

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Publication Details

Journal
Viruses
Published
2025-03-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v17030397
Citations
14
Primary Topic
Viral Infections and Vectors
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
19.55

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article

Congenital Oropouche in Humans: Clinical Characterization of a Possible New Teratogenic Syndrome

Alberto Mantovani Abeche, Davi Dantas Muniz, Bruna da Cruz Beyruth Borges, Camila V. Ventura et al.
14 citations
Viruses
Viral Infections and Vectors
19.55
article

Congenital Oropouche in Humans: Clinical Characterization of a Possible New Teratogenic Syndrome

Alberto Mantovani Abeche, Davi Dantas Muniz, Bruna da Cruz Beyruth Borges, Camila V. Ventura, Jannifer Oliveira Chiang, Juarez Antônio Simões Quaresma, Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, Fátima Rodrigues, Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna, Lívia Medeiros Neves Casseb, Lívia Carício Martins, Maria Teresa Vieira Sanseverino, Lavínia Schüler‐Faccini, Lucia Andreia Nunes de Oliveira, Lucas Rosa Fraga, André Rodrigues Façanha Barreto, Raimunda do Socorro da Silva Azevedo, Rui Azevedo, Consuelo Silva de Oliveira, André Luiz Santos Pessoa, Simone de Menezes Karam, Fernanda Eduarda das Neves Martins, Miguel Del Campo, Giulia Radin, Bethania F.R. Ribeiro, Lilith Schuler Faccini, Vania de Mesquita Gadelha Prazeres, Natália Pimentel Moreno Mantilla
article en
14 citations

Abstract

Oropouche fever is caused by the Oropouche virus (OROV; Bunyaviridae, Orthobunyavirus), one of the most frequent arboviruses that infect humans in the Brazilian Amazon. This year, an OROV outbreak was identified in Brazil, and its vertical transmission was reported, which was associated with fetal death and microcephaly. We describe the clinical manifestations identified in three cases of congenital OROV infection with confirmed serology (OROV-IgM) in the mother-newborn binomial. One of the newborns died, and post-mortem molecular analysis using real-time RT-qPCR identified the OROV genome in several tissues. All three newborns were born in the Amazon region in Brazil, and the mothers reported fever, rash, headache, myalgia, and/or retro-orbital pain during pregnancy. The newborns presented with severe microcephaly secondary to brain damage and arthrogryposis, suggestive of an embryo/fetal disruptive process at birth. Brain and spinal images identified overlapping sutures, cerebral atrophy, brain cysts, thinning of the spinal cord, corpus callosum, and posterior fossa abnormalities. Fundoscopic findings included macular chorioretinal scars, focal pigment mottling, and vascular attenuation. The clinical presentation of vertical OROV infection resembled congenital Zika syndrome to some extent but presents some distinctive features on brain imaging and in several aspects of its neurological presentation. A recognizable syndrome with severe brain damage, neurological alterations, arthrogryposis, and fundoscopic abnormalities can be associated with in utero OROV infection.

VirusesVol. 17(3)
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (BR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (BR), Universidade Federal de Pelotas (BR), Universidade do Estado do Pará (BR), Universidade Federal do Ceará (BR), University of California San Diego (US), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (BR), Amazon Research Foundation (BR), Fundação Altino Ventura (BR), Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio (BR), Secretaria da Saúde (BR), Hospital Universitário de Brasília (BR), Hospital Infantil Albert Sabin (BR), Instituto Evandro Chagas (BR), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (BR), Universidade Federal do Pará (BR), Universidade Federal do Amazonas (BR), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (BR)
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Ministério da Saúde
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Viral Infections and Vectors
19.55
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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