Mayaro virus (MAYV) — which can cause fever, joint aches, muscle pains, headache, eye pain, rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea — first was isolated from the blood of five symptomatic workers in Mayaro County, Trinidad, in 1954. Since then, it has caused sporadic outbreaks and small epidemics in several South and Central American countries.

Ecuador map/CIA

In 2019, several cases have been confirmed in Peru and Ecuador year-to-date.

After reporting 35 cases last year, Peru has seen 2 confirmed cases in the provinces of Quispicanchis (Cusco Region) and La Mar (Ayacucho Region).

A Mayaro virus primer

In addition in Ecuador, reported that of 34 samples that were negative for dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and leptospirosis, 5 were positive for Mayaro. The detection occurred through laboratory surveillance of MAYV which has been implemented in Ecuador since 2018.

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The cases correspond to four different cantons: Guayaquil (2 cases), Portoviejo (1 case), Santo
Domingo (1 case), and Babahoyo (1 case). These cantons are in the eastern part of the
country, with a distance of up to 300 kilometers between them.

18 infections you can get from mosquitoes

Mayaro fever is a zoonosis caused by an arbovirus of the Alphavirus genus, Togavirus family. Transmission by Haemagogus mosquitoes has been documented. Human cases are associated with recent exposures to humid forest environments inhabited by these vectors.