Understanding the emergence expansion and impact of oropouche virus

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus that has recently gained attention due to its rapid geographic expansion and increasing public health significance. Traditionally confined to the Amazon region, OROV has now been detected in several new locations across South and Central America, with recent reports extending to the Caribbean and even North America and Europe through imported cases. The factors driving its spread are multifaceted, involving environmental changes, urbanization, and expanding human-wildlife interactions, which have facilitated the establishment of the virus in new ecological settings. In this study, we analyze available data to provide a comprehensive overview of the re-emergence and expansion of OROV, assessing its transmission dynamics and the regions at greatest risk. Additionally, we describe the increasing frequency of atypical and severe clinical manifestations, including neurological complications such as aseptic meningitis and encephalitis, as well as cases of vertical transmission (VT) linked to congenital anomalies and stillbirths. These findings emphasize the urgent need for enhanced genomic and epidemiological surveillance, improved diagnostic capacities, and proactive public health strategies to monitor and mitigate the growing threat posed by OROV.