Enhanced infection and transmission of the 2022-2024 Oropouche virus strain in the North American biting midge Culicoides sonorensis.

ABSTRACT: Oropouche virus (OROV) is a vector-borne zoonotic virus that causes febrile illness in humans. Biting midges of the Culicoides genus are the primary vectors during human outbreaks. The 2022-2024 OROV outbreak has seen an increase in incidence, geographic expansion, and the emergence of previously undocumented symptoms. To better understand the basis of increased disease incidence, infection of the outbreak virus (OROV²⁴⁰⁰²³) was compared to a historical virus strain (rOROV^BeAn19991) in Culicoides sonorensis, a midge species that has demonstrated historical competence. Higher levels of infection, dissemination, and transmission potential were observed in C. sonorensis infected with the outbreak strain compared to the historical strain, although infectious titers did no

SUBMITTER: Scroggs SLP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12301478 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature