The reappearance of the mysterious Chapare virus in Bolivia has killed three people

The mysterious disease which was discovered in 2004 in Bolivia and what causes hemorrhagic fever it is beginning to seriously worry the scientific community.

The Chapare virus and his return to Bolivia was the subject of a conference at the latest International Symposium on Tropical and Subtropical Horticulture in the Mediterranean Climate, SciencePost reports.

A publication resulted on November 16. And confirmation of human transmission of this virus is nothing short of worrying according to the researchers.

Proven human transmission

Indeed, according to the paper, “researchers have found that the deadly virus found in Bolivia can spread from person to person in health care facilities, raising potential concerns about further outbreaks in the region – the future.”

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this is not reassuring.

A patient in 2004, then nothing

It must be said that this virus, discovered in 2004 in the Bolivian province of Chapare, from which it takes its name, caused the death of the only infected patient at the time.

All we knew was that “it was a hemorrhagic fever that produced symptoms similar to diseases like Ebola.”

Then nothing until 2019. So when he reappeared near La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, the health authorities were very worried.

Among the infected assistants, two died

This time, several people contracted the virus. Initially, the doctors took care of three patients, one of them died.

But five other people, including a young intern doctor, an ambulance driver, and a gastroenterologist, were infected because they had been in contact with patients.

Of these five other patients, two died. Which kills three of the eight infected.

Transmitted by body fluids

This confirms the thesis put forward by Caitlin Cossaboom, the epidemiologist responsible for this research that “many body fluids – such as blood, urine, saliva or even sperm – can potentially carry the virus”.

Furthermore, the presence of the virus was also detected 168 days after recovery in the sperm of one of the patients.

Patients who were identified suffered from it temperature, from abdominal pain, from He retched, from bleeding gums, d ‘Skin rashes and of pain behind the eyes.

No treatment

For the moment there is no treatment that can cure the virus. But the researchers’ efforts will enable the development of a PCR test to identify the disease and then diagnose it.

The origin of the virus

The origin of this virus is unknown but it would come from small rodents, this is in any case what the researchers are moving towards because they found the virus in rodents that were in the home and on farmland. one of the patients.

The virus circulates, patients misdiagnosed

Furthermore, scientists suggest that Chapare virus could circulate in Bolivia for several years. However, the patients would have been diagnosed as suffering from dengue, a common infection in Bolivia and whose symptoms are similar.

Other suspected cases have since been reported, including that of a child. But everything would survive.