Mayaro: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Key points

  • Mayaro virus infection can cause fever and joint pain.
  • If you think you or a family member might have Mayaro virus disease (Mayaro), talk with your healthcare provider.
  • There are no specific medicines to treat Mayaro.
  • Rest, fluids, and pain medications might relieve symptoms.
Person holding their hand due to joint pain.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Mayaro are similar to those of chikungunya.

  • Most people infected with Mayaro virus have mild illness.
  • Common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, joint aches, chills, and rash.
  • Other symptoms can include eye pain, swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
  • Some people with Mayaro have joint pain that can last for months after symptoms start.

Diagnosis

Talk to your healthcare provider if you are sick and have recently traveled to an area where Mayaro virus might be present including parts of Central and South America and the Caribbean.

  • Tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled.
  • Your healthcare provider can order blood tests to look for Mayaro virus or other viral infections that can cause similar symptoms.

To learn more about testing, visit our Healthcare Providers page.

Treatment

  • There are no specific medicines to treat Mayaro.
  • Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter pain medications might relieve some symptoms.
  • If symptoms are severe, patients might need to be hospitalized to receive supportive care, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.

To learn more about treatment, visit our Healthcare Providers page.