How is Marburg virus disease diagnosed and treated?
The diagnosis of Marburg virus disease is usually done by specialized laboratories. Treatment is limited to supportive care, usually in an intensive-care unit. Specialists that may be consulted include critical-care specialists, infectious-disease specialists, hematologists, lung specialists, and others.
What is the best barrier protection against the Marburg virus?
Those health-care professionals who treat Marburg virus-infected patients must use barrier protections such as gowns, gloves, masks, and shoe coverings; most experts say the best barrier is a hazmat suit and a well-informed person who knows how to decontaminate a hazmat suit.
What is Marburg virus disease (Marburg HF)?
Again, the Ugandan Ministry of Health reported on Oct. 5, 2014, that a health-care worker died of Marburg virus disease (formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever [Marburg HF]) on Sept. 30, 2014. The source of his exposure is not clear.
How can community engagement help control Marburg virus disease outbreaks?
Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Marburg virus is the causative agent of Marburg virus disease (MVD), a disease with a case fatality ratio of up to 88%, but can be much lower with good patient care.
What is the treatment of Marburg virus?
There is no specific treatment for Marburg virus disease. Supportive hospital therapy should be utilized, which includes balancing the patient's fluids and electrolytes, maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure, replacing lost blood and clotting factors, and treatment for any complicating infections.
Is there a vaccine or cure for Marburg virus?
There is neither an approved treatment nor a vaccine against Marburg virus disease (MVD) and due to its high pathogenicity and effective human-to-human transmission MARV is classified as a select agent in the United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) added it to its list of priority pathogens (5).
Is there a treatment for Ebola and Marburg?
There are no licensed treatments or vaccines for Ebola or Marburg virus diseases; however, various experimental countermeasures, including some developed by NIAID, are under evaluation.
What is the prevention of Marburg virus?
Preventive measures against Marburg virus infection are not well defined, as transmission from wildlife to people remains an area of ongoing research. However, avoiding fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), and sick non-human primates is one way to protect against infection.
Can you survive Marburg virus?
The virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever in humans. The average MVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 24% to 88% in past outbreaks depending on virus strain and case management. Early supportive care with rehydration, and symptomatic treatment improves survival.
When did Marburg virus end?
On 16 September 2021, the Ministry of Health of Guinea declared the end of the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Guéckédou prefecture, Nzérékoré Region. In accordance with WHO recommendations, the declaration was made 42 days after the safe and dignified burial of the only confirmed patient reported in this outbreak.
Is there a cure for m3 virus?
There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine. Two cases of Marburg virus infection were reported in Uganda. One of the people, a miner, died in July, 2007.
Is there a vaccine against Ebola?
Currently there are no licensed vaccines to prevent Ebola virus disease. However, multiple investigational Ebola vaccines have been tested in numerous clinical trials around the world. NIAID has supported the development of various candidates, including the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine developed by Merck.
What is the antiviral drug ribavirin?
Producing a broad-spectrum activity against several RNA and DNA viruses, Ribavirin is a synthetic guanosine nucleoside and antiviral agent that interferes with the synthesis of viral mRNA. It is primarily indicated for use in treating hepatitis C and viral hemorrhagic fevers.
How do you treat Marburg naturally?
No cure or effective treatment exists for Marburg virus disease, making preventing the disease critical through steps like personal protective equipment and safe handling of body fluids.
What is the current best option for preventing future outbreaks of Ebola?
Ebola Vaccine This is the first FDA-approved vaccine for Ebola. This vaccine is given as a single dose vaccine and has been found to be safe and protective against Zaire ebolavirus, which has caused the largest and most deadly Ebola outbreaks to date.
What is the Marburg virus?
Marburg virus disease is caused by the Marburgvirus single-stranded RNA virus. Marburg virus can spread from animals to humans, as well as from person to person and through contaminated objects.
When did the Marburg virus first appear?
Marburg virus first popped up on health officials' radar in 1967 when more than two dozen cases of hemorrhagic fever first appeared in Germany and what is now Serbia. The outbreaks started in laboratory workers and then spread to healthcare workers and caregivers.
How does Marburg get into the body?
Like Ebola, Marburg virus moves from person to person through direct contact with body fluids like blood, urine, saliva, respiratory droplets (such as from coughing), vomit, feces, and possibly breast milk. The infected fluids get into the body through breaks in the skin (like cuts or scrapes) or through mucosal membranes like the mouth, nose, or eyes.
What are the symptoms of Marburg?
Like Ebola, Marburg virus disease can cause severe hemorrhaging that leads to shock, organ failure, or death. Symptoms of a Marburg virus infection can include: 4 . Fever.
Why isolate someone with Marburg?
If there’s a reason to suspect Marburg virus disease (such as if the person has been around a known case or outbreak and is displaying symptoms consistent with the disease), doctors first isolate the person to minimize the risk someone else might be exposed to the virus.
How does Marburg spread?
Marburg virus can spread from animals to humans, as well as from person to person and through contaminated objects. People are generally infected by Marburg virus after being exposed to one of three things: bat colonies, body fluids, or contaminated objects.
How many people die from Marburg?
While the disease typically starts out like many other tropical illnesses with fever and body aches, it can quickly lead to severe bleeding, shock, and death. As many as nine in 10 people with the virus die as a result of the infection. Outbreaks of Marburg virus are extremely uncommon.
What is the Marburg virus?
Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. Rousettus aegyptiacus, fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family, are considered to be natural hosts of Marburg virus. The Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-human ...
Where does the Marburg virus persist?
These sites include the testicles and the inside of the eye.
How does Marburg virus spread?
The Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-human transmission. The Marburg virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever in humans. The average MVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 24% to 88% in past outbreaks depending on virus strain and case management.
How long does it take for Marburg to show symptoms?
Symptoms of Marburg virus disease. The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) varies from 2 to 21 days. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. Muscle aches and pains are a common feature.
How long should you wait to have a Marburg test?
Male survivors of Marburg virus disease should practice safer sexual practices and hygiene for 12 months from onset of symptoms or until their semen twice tests undetected (negative) for Marburg virus.
What monkeys were infected with Marburg?
As a result, the geographic distribution of Marburg virus may overlap with the range of Rousettus bats. African green monkeys (Cercopi thecus aethiops) imported from Uganda were the source of infection for humans during the first Marburg outbreak.
When was the Marburg virus first detected?
Marburg virus disease was initially detected in 1967 after simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany; and in Belgrade, Serbia. Marburg and Ebola viruses are both members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus). Though caused by different viruses, the two diseases are clinically similar. Both diseases are rare and have the capacity ...
How to prevent Marburg virus?
Prevention of Marburg viral disease involves avoiding contact with African animals that may carry the disease and using strict isolation procedures to avoid any bodily fluids or tissues from humans infected with Marburg viruses. The prognosis for Marburg virus disease is only fair to poor; fatality rates vary from about 23%-90%.
What is the Marburg virus?
Facts you should know about Marburg virus disease. Share Your Story. Picture: A woman with Marburg virus infection has a rash on her back; SOURCE: CDC. Marburg virus disease is endemic in Africa (likely in African green monkeys and certain bats) and can be transmitted to humans.
What causes a fever, chills, headaches and muscle aches?
Marburg virus disease is caused by viruses that produce symptoms of fever, chills, headaches and muscle aches early in the disease; symptoms worsen and may lead to hemorrhagic fever and death. Risk factors include exposure to African green monkeys and certain bats; in addition, exposure to an infected human is high risk factor.
How many people died from Marburg in 2012?
The most recent outbreaks of Marburg virus disease have occurred in Uganda. In 2012, 15 individuals were diagnosed and four people died (27% fatality rate).
What is the prognosis for Marburg?
The prognosis for Marburg virus disease is only fair to poor; fatality rates vary from about 23%-90%. Complications of Marburg virus infections include eye, nerve, and bleeding problems. Research is ongoing; Africa is experiencing more problems with viral diseases as humans increase their contact with African animals that previously had little ...
What tests can detect Marburg?
There are laboratory tests including polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays ( ELISA) that can detect the Marburg virus later in the course of the disease. These help distinguish Marburg viruses from others that cause Ebola and Lassa fever.
Which family of viruses has one negative-sense RNA strand?
The other members of the family are Ebola viruses (five different species). Filoviridae contain one negative-sense RNA strand and have a covering or envelope composed of a lipid membrane. The disease Marburg virus causes is termed Marburg virus disease. The most recent outbreaks of Marburg virus disease have occurred in Uganda.
Diagnosis
Ebola virus and Marburg virus are difficult to diagnose because early signs and symptoms resemble those of other diseases, such as typhoid and malaria. If doctors suspect that you have Ebola virus or Marburg virus, they use blood tests to quickly identify the virus, including:
Treatment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a medication that's a combination of three monoclonal antibodies (Inmazeb) and a single monoclonal antibody medication (Ebanga) to treat Ebola virus disease caused by a specific type of Ebola virus.
Preparing for your appointment
The possibility of getting Ebola virus or Marburg virus is extremely low unless you've had direct contact with the body fluids of a person or an animal infected with one of the viruses.
What is the disease of Marburg?
Diagnosis. Many of the signs and symptoms of Marburg hemorrhagic fever are similar to those of other more frequent infectious diseases, such as malaria or typhoid fever, making diagnosis of the disease difficult.
Can Marburg HF be isolated?
However, if a person has the early symptoms of Marburg HF and there is reason to believe that Marburg HF should be considered, the patient should be isolated and public health professionals notified. Samples from the patient can then be collected and tested to confirm infection.
Symptoms
Causes
- Marburg virus disease is caused by the Marburgvirus single-stranded RNA virus. Marburg virus can spread from animals to humans, as well as from person to person and through contaminated objects. People are generally infected by Marburg virus after being exposed to one of three things: bat colonies, body fluids, or contaminated objects.
Diagnosis
- Marburg virus symptoms look a lot like the symptoms of other illnesses—including flu, malaria, or typhoid fever—making it difficult sometimes to diagnose, especially if there’s only one case. That’s why doctors rely on lab tests like ELISA or PCR to make an official diagnosis.7 If there’s a reason to suspect Marburg virus disease (such as if the person has been around a known case or outbr…
Treatment
- No cure currently exists for Marburg virus. As a result, healthcare providers treat the disease by managing the symptoms and doing what they can to prevent further complications or death. These measures can include:8 1. Managing pain 2. Replenishing fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration 3. Stabilizing oxygen levels and blood pressure 4. Re...
Prevention
- With no real effective treatment options, the most effective way to protect yourself from Marburg virus disease is to prevent it altogether. No vaccine is currently available to prevent Marburg, though one is in the early stages of development. Instead, methods to prevent Marburg virus center on barrier nursing techniques (like personal protective equipment used to prevent Ebola), …
A Word from Verywell
- While Marburg virus disease can be deadly, it is extremely rare. Even so, if you’re planning to travel to areas where animal hosts are common or where outbreaks are ongoing, be extra careful around animal feces or body fluids. If you come into contact with animals or people who might be infected with the virus and you start to experience any of the symptoms listed above, talk to a do…
Transmission
Symptoms of Marburg Virus Disease
- The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) varies from 2 to 21 days. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. Muscle aches and pains are a common feature. Severe watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea and vomiting can begin on the third day. Diarrhoea can persist for a week…
Diagnosis
- It can be difficult to clinically distinguish MVD from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, meningitis and other viral haemorrhagic fevers. Confirmation that symptoms are caused by Marburg virus infection are made using the following diagnostic methods: 1. antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 2. antigen-capture d…
Treatment and Vaccines
- Currently there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved for MVD. However, supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival. There are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) under development and antivirals e.g. Remdesivir and Favipiravir that have been used in clinical studies for ...
Marburg Virus in Animals
- Rousettus aegyptiacusbats are considered natural hosts for Marburg virus. There is no apparent disease in the fruit bats. As a result, the geographic distribution of Marburg virus may overlap with the range of Rousettus bats. African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda were the source of infection for humans during the first Marburg outbreak. Experimenta…
Prevention and Control
- Good outbreak control relies on using a range of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe and dignified burials, and social mobilization. Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Raising awareness of risk factors for Marburg infection and protective measures that individuals can tak…
Controlling Infection in Healthcare Settings
- Healthcare workers should always take standard precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe and dignified burial practices. Healthcare workers caring for patient…
Marburg Viral Persistence in in People Recovering from Marburg Virus Disease
- Marburg virus is known to persist in immune-privileged sites in some people who have recovered from Marburg virus disease. These sites include the testicles and the inside of the eye. 1. In women who have been infected while pregnant, the virus persists in the placenta, amniotic fluid and foetus. 2. In women who have been infected while breastfeeding, the virus may persist in br…
Who Response
- WHO aims to prevent Marburg outbreaks by maintaining surveillance for Marburg virus disease and supporting at-risk countries to develop preparedness plans. The following document provides overall guidance for control of Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks: 1. Ebola and Marburg virus disease epidemics: preparedness, alert, control, and evaluation When an outbreak is detected W…