HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pinheiro, F. P. Articles by LeDuc, J. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pinheiro, F. P. Articles by LeDuc, J. W.

An Outbreak of Mayaro Virus Disease in Belterra, Brazil

I. Clinical and Virological Findings^*

Francisco P. Pinheiro, Ronaldo B. Freitas, Jorge F. Travassos da Rosa, Yvone B. Gabbay, Wyller A. Mello AND James W. LeDuc

An outbreak of human illness caused by Mayaro (MAY) virus occurred in Belterra, Pará, Brazil in the first half of 1978. A total of 55 cases were confirmed, 43 by virus isolation and serology, and 12 by serology alone. The disease in Belterra presented as a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by fever, arthralgia and exanthema. No fatalities could be attributed to MAY virus infection. Arthralgia, accompanied by joint edema in 20% of cases, was a very prominent sign which caused temporary incapacity in many patients. Arthralgia was present in virtually all confirmed cases and persisted in some for at least 2 months, although with decreasing severity. Rash was present in two-thirds of the cases, and was either maculopapular or micropapular. The incidence of rash was higher in children than in adults. Contrary to arthralgia, which started with the onset of clinical illness, rash usually appeared on the 5th day and faded within 3–4 days. Fever, chills, headache, myalgia, lymph-adenopathy and other minor clinical manifestations were also recorded, and generally persisted for from 2–5 days. Leucopenia was a constant finding in all cases. Mild albuminuria was seen in four of 25 patients, and slight thrombocytopenia was seen in 10 of 20 cases. The fact that viremia levels higher than 5.0 log₁₀/1.0 ml of blood were recorded in 10 patients raises the possibility that man may be an amplifying host in the MAY virus cycle. The MAY virus illness, as een in Belterra, has clinical features similar to those observed in persons infected with chikungunya virus.

Accepted for publication July 12, 1980.

^* This program was conducted under the auspices of the Ministerio da Saúde Pública do Brasil. The research was conducted at the Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Pará, Brazil, under PAHO Project BRA 4311 and supported by Research Contract Number DAMD 17–74 G 9378 from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Office of the Surgeon General, Washington, D.C. The opinions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Department of the Army.

Address reprint requests to: Reprints Section, Division of Academic Affairs, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20012.

Present address: Gorgas Memorial Laboratory, APO Miami 34002.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. M. POWERS, P. V. AGUILAR, L. J. CHANDLER, A. C. BRAULT, T. A. MEAKINS, D. WATTS, K. L. RUSSELL, J. OLSON, P. F. C. VASCONCELOS, A. T. DA ROSA, et al. GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MAYARO AND UNA VIRUSES SUGGEST DISTINCT PATTERNS OF TRANSMISSION. Am J Trop Med Hyg, September 1, 2006; 75(3): 461 - 469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]