Chapare Virus

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : Apr 15, 2022, 6:08

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States uncovered an uncommon Ebola-like infection that was thought to have started in rural Bolivia in 2004. It was named Chapare Virus after the province where it was initially discovered. Chapare is a rural town in central Bolivia's northern region.

Chapare Virus - Overview

The Chapare Virus is related to the Arenavirus family, which is responsible for diseases like Ebola (EVD). It results in the Chapare hemorrhagic fever (CHHF).

The Chapare Virus is spread by rats, and it can be transferred via direct contact with an infected rat, its urine and droppings, or by contact with an infected person.

Transmission of Chapare Virus

The Chapare Virus can only be transferred by coming into direct contact with human fluids. Researchers discovered remnants of ribonucleic acid (RNA) linked with Chapare in the semen of one patient 168 days after he had been infected, indicating sexual transmission.

Because it is not transmitted through the respiratory system, the Chapare Virus is far more difficult to get than the coronavirus. It only spreads through direct contact with human fluids. New sequencing tools will aid in the development of an RT-PCR test, such as the one used to diagnose Covid-19, to aid in the detection of Chapare.

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Symptoms of Chapare Virus

  • Ebola-like hemorrhagic fever
  • Vomiting,
  • Bleeding gums,
  • Skin rash, and
  • Pain behind the eyes.

Treatment of Chapare Virus

  • Patients usually get care and support through intravenous fluids because there are no specific medications to treat the condition. Intravenous treatment is a medical procedure that involves injecting a liquid straight into a vein. It is widely used to deliver rehydration solutions or nutrition to people who are unable to swallow food or drink by mouth.
  • Hydration must be maintained. Fluid resuscitation is used to treat shock. It is a procedure for replacing bodily fluids that have been lost due to perspiration, bleeding, fluid changes, or other pathological processes.
  • Medicines for pain relief.
  • Transfusions are a form of supportive treatment given to patients.

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Prevention Methods of Chapare Virus

To prevent the Chapare Virus from spreading, the main priority should be rodent control within homes and communities. Even after the infected person has recovered, the virus remains in their body for a long. As a result, contact with infected people must be avoided until they test completely negative.

Why is the Chapare Virus a Concern?

The condition is known to be spread most frequently in tropical areas, particularly in sections of South America where small-eared pygmy rice rats are abundant. Because there are so few cases documented, the fatality rate and risk factors connected with the sickness remain unknown.

Three of the five documented cases in the second outbreak of 2019 were deadly (case-fatality rate of 60 percent). The most recent epidemic of the Chapare Virus was recorded in 2019 when three health professionals in the Bolivian city of La Paz caught the illness from two patients.

Fluids are the most common way for the Chapare Virus to spread from one body to another. As a result, CDC researchers think that the disease is difficult to spread and that only the affected person's family and healthcare staff are at risk of contracting the Chapare Virus. Because it is not airborne and cannot be spread through particles in the environment, exposure is limited.

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FAQs on Chapare Virus

Q.1. How does the Chapare Virus spread?

The Chapare Virus belongs to the arenavirus family of viruses. Arenaviruses are usually transmitted to humans through direct contact with an infected rodent or indirectly through an infected rodent's urine or faeces (droppings).

Q.2. The Chapare Virus results in which fever?

The Chapare Virus results in Chapare Hemorrhagic Fever.

Q.3. What are the symptoms of Chapare Virus?

The symptoms of Chapare Virus are Ebola-like hemorrhagic fever, Vomiting, Bleeding gums, Skin rash, etc.

Q.4. Which is the root family of the Chapare Virus?

The Chapare Virus is related to the Arenavirus family, which is responsible for diseases like Ebola.

Q.5. Where was the Chapare Virus first discovered?

The Chapare Virus is named after a rural town in central Bolivia's northern region where it was initially discovered.