ne of the world’s deadliest diseases has taken the lives of nine people in equatorial Guinea and hundreds of people are being quarantined because of fears they may be infected.
The Marburg virus has a mortality rate of up to 88 per cent, has no cure and is similar to Ebola. According to the World Health Organization, 16 people have tested positive for it.
The highly infectious disease is similar to Ebola, of which there was an outbreak in western Africa between 2013 and 2016, which killed more than 11,000 people. Both Ebola and Marburg virus can cause fatal viral haemorrhagic fever.
Travel restrictions have been implemented to restrict movement as neighbouring countries Gabon and Cameroon raise deep concerns about a possible outbreak.
The alarm was raised by local officials last week after a bout of mystery illnesses causing Ebola-like symptoms.
An emergency meeting by the UN agency will convene to further discuss ways to combat the Marburg virus and possible vaccines.
What is Marburg virus?
Marburg virus is a filovirus which can cause a severe and fatal viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF).
A more well-known virus in the filovirus family is the Ebola virus – to which Marburg virus disease is almost clinically indistinguishable.
Marburg virus was first discovered in 1967 when there were simultaneous outbreaks at laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, as well as in Belgrade in Serbia.
The laboratory workers who became ill had been in contact with the blood, organs or cell cultures of imported African green monkeys from north-western Uganda.
Marburg is generally considered to be a zoonotic virus, which means it is animal-borne. Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host and monkeys are susceptible but, as they die quickly after being infected, they are not usually a host.
Marburg virus symptoms
The initial symptoms of Marburg virus are:
- Severe headache;
- Malaise;
- High fever;
- Progressive and rapid debilitation.
Around three days later, symptoms include:
- Watery diarrhoea;
- Abdominal pain;
- Cramping;
- Nausea;
- Vomiting.
Symptoms become increasingly severe and after about five to seven days, many patients will develop severe haemorrhagic fever. Fatal cases will usually involve some form of bleeding.
The incubation period of Marburg virus is typically between three and 10 days.
There is currently no specific treatment for Marburg virus but patients receive supportive therapy such as maintaining their oxygen and blood pressure and replacing lost blood.
Marburg virus transmission
The virus is initially transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.
Marburg virus can also be transmitted sexually and can remain in semen for up to seven weeks after recovery.
Additionally, Marburg virus can be transmitted via contaminated injection equipment, as well as close contact with the bodies or bodily fluids of people who have died of it.
