Mayaro Virus as the cause of Acute Febrile Illness in the Colombian Amazon Basin

Abstract

IntroductionMayaro Fever (MF) is a tropical disease caused by the Mayaro virus (MAYV), with outbreaks documented in Latin America.MethodsA hospital-based fever surveillance in Leticia, Colombian Amazon, collected sera from 1,460 patients aged 5-89 between December 2020 and April 2023.ResultsDengue and malaria were the main diagnoses (19.4 and 5.8%, respectively), leaving 71.4% of cases unidentified after testing. Metagenomic sequencing and real-time RT-qPCR testing identified MAYV in two patients (25-year-old male and an 80-year-old female) exhibiting typical symptoms, of MF including rash, joint pain, and fever. Phylogenetics analysis of these two viruses revealed a close relationship to Peruvian strains within the MAYV D genotype.DiscussionThe study of AFI in Leticia, Colombia, identified dengue as prevalent, with malaria, COVID-19, Influenza, and Zika viruses also detected. Despite extensive testing, most cases remained unexplained until metagenomic sequencing revealed MAYV, previously unseen in Colombia but known in neighboring countries.ConclusionThis study presents the first near full-length genomes of MAYV in Colombia, highlighting the need for further seroprevalence studies and enhanced surveillance to understand and control the spread of the virus in the region.