Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a rare, serious infection that causes hemorrhagic fever in the same of Ebola. The virus has a high fatality rate and can spread quickly among humans through contact with infected people's or animals' bodily excretions. An MVD outbreak was recently reported in Equatorial Guinea, where nine people died from the disease. The WHO has also confirmed instances in Tanzania, where the virus was discovered for the first time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has issued an advisory for the traveller stated to avoid contact with sick people, animals, and their products, as well as to practise appropriate hygiene and infection control measures.
In this blog post, we will provide some background information on MVD, its symptoms, transmission, diagnosis, possible treatment, and prevention. We will also discuss the current situation of the outbreak in Africa and the response efforts by national and international health authorities.
What is MVD and how does it affect humans?
MVD is caused by the Marburg virus, a member of the filovirus family that also includes the Ebola virus. The virus was first identified in 1967 after simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia, among laboratory workers who had been exposed to African green monkeys imported from Uganda. Since then, sporadic cases and outbreaks have occurred in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
The natural reservoir of the Marburg virus is believed to be the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus), which can carry the virus without showing signs of illness. Humans can become infected by exposure to bat-infested caves or mines, or by handling infected animals or their products. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people or animals, or with contaminated surfaces or materials.
The incubation period of MVD ranges from 2 to 21 days, meaning that symptoms can appear anytime within this period after exposure to the virus. The symptoms of MVD include fever, headache, malaise, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and bleeding from various sites (such as gums, nose, skin, or internal organs). In severe cases, MVD can cause shock, organ failure, and death. The case fatality rate of MVD varies from 24% to 88%, depending on the virus strain and the quality of care.
How is MVD diagnosed and treated?
MVD can be difficult to diagnose based on symptoms alone, as they are similar to those of other infectious diseases such as malaria or typhoid fever. Laboratory tests are required to confirm the presence of the Marburg virus in blood or other samples from suspected patients. These tests include antigen detection tests, antibody tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and virus isolation tests.
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for MVD yet. However, several experimental therapies are under development and evaluation. These include blood products (such as convalescent plasma from recovered patients), immune therapies (such as monoclonal antibodies), and antiviral drugs (such as remdesivir). The effectiveness and safety of these therapies are still being studied in clinical trials.
The mainstay of MVD treatment is supportive care, which aims to maintain vital functions and prevent complications. This includes providing fluids and electrolytes (through oral or intravenous routes), managing pain and fever (with analgesics and antipyretics), controlling bleeding (with transfusions and clotting factors), treating infections (with antibiotics), and providing oxygen and ventilation (if needed).
Supportive care can improve survival outcomes if provided early and adequately. However, it requires well-equipped health facilities and trained staff who can follow strict infection prevention and control measures to protect themselves and others from exposure to the virus.
How can MVD be prevented?
The best way to prevent MVD is to avoid exposure to the virus in the first place. This means avoiding contact with sick people or animals who may be infected with the Marburg virus or their products (such as blood or meat). It also means avoiding visiting or working in bat-infested caves or mines where the virus may be present.
If exposure cannot be avoided, personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn when handling potentially infected materials or caring for suspected or confirmed patients. PPE includes gloves,