Marburg Virus: Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention and Vaccine

What is Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)?

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a rare hemorrhagic fever viral disease caused Marburg virus. It leads to the sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, and myalgia.

Marburg virus is a genetically unique zoonotic RNA virus of the filovirus family.

As per WHO MVD death rate is around 50% which varied from 24% to 88%.

Marburg virus outbreaks

Initial diseases recognition from two large outbreaks that occurred simultaneously in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1967.
Later on, outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
2022 Marburg virus disease outbreak in Ghana seen.

Marburg virus Symptoms

Below is listed symptom onset after 2 - 21 days of the incubation period

Sudden onset of high fever
Chills
Headache
Body aches
Myalgia

After 5 days of the initial signs symptoms

Rash develops mostly on the back and chest
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Chest pain
Abdominal pain

Severe symptoms include:

Jaundice
Inflammation of the pancreas
Severe weight loss
Delirium
Shock
Liver failure
Massive hemorrhaging
Multi-organ dysfunction

Marburg Virus Transmission

Marburg virus disease spreads through:

Direct contact through mucous membranes & broken skin
Contact with contaminated objects such as bedding, clothes, needles, and medical equipment
Blood
Bodily fluids
Skin or mucous lesions
Semen
Fruit bats

Diagnosis & Tests for Marburg Virus

Following diagnostic Tests methods for the Marburg virus suggested by WHO:

Antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
Antigen-capture detection tests
Serum neutralization test
Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
Electron microscopy
Virus isolation by cell culture

Clinically distinguishing Marburg virus disease from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, meningitis, shigellosis, and other viral hemorrhagic fevers was difficult.

Marburg virus Treatment

There is no specific treatment for Marburg virus disease however supportive hospital therapy should be utilized which includes:

Balancing the patient’s body fluids and electrolytes
Maintaining oxygen status
Maintain blood pressure
Replacing lost blood and clotting factors
Treatment for any complicating infections

Marburg virus vaccine

Currently, there are no specific vaccines available for Marburg virus disease (MVD).

Prevention and control

Not any standard Preventive measures against Marburg virus infection, However,

Avoiding fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), and sick non-human primates
Avoid direct physical contact with the patient

Take precautions to include wearing protective gowns, gloves, and masks
Placing the infected individual in strict isolation
Proper disposal or sterilization of needles, equipment, and patient excretions.

Marburg virus Key facts

Marburg virus disease causes severe haemorrhagic fever in humans.

The average MVD case death rate is around 50%. Death rates range have varied from 24% to 88%.

There is no specific treatment & vaccine available only supportive care & treatment do.

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