Chapare Virus

Chapare hemorrhagic fever (CHHF) is caused by the family of virus that causes illness like Ebola virus disease. It is named so because it was first observed in the Chapare Province of Bolivia. A major occurrence was observed in 2019, which caused three deaths.

Key Points

• It is believed that the Chapare virus is carried by rats. Infection can occur when someone comes in contact with the infected rat, its urine, or droppings. It can also be transmitted by direct contact from an infected person.
• The virus is believed to present in Bolivia for a very long time, even before its official documentation. The viral infection causes hemorrhagic fever, abdominal pain, bleeding in gums, etc.

Discovery by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about Chapare virus

• Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered the rare Chapare virus in Bolivia.
• At the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), researchers from the US- CDC, pointed out that the Chapare virus can spread through human-to-human transmission.
• The researchers further said the healthcare workers are at higher risk of contracting the virus.
• Scientists have found that the Chapare virus is more difficult to catch than the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus) as it is not transmissible through the respiratory route. The virus is spread only through coming in direct contact with bodily fluids.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, CDC is a national public health institute of the United States. It is a federal agency in the US, under the Department of Health and Human Services. It was formed on July 1, 1946.