What is the Marburg virus and why is it a concern?

• The Marburg virus is raising alarms.
• We tell you the symptoms and how to treat it.
• How did the Marburg virus originate?

A new, frightening outbreak, has to do with a deadly virus that has resurfaced recently. Two cases of the Marburg virus, similar to Ebola, has the World Health Organization (WHO) on alert for the possibility of an outbreak in Ghana, West Africa.

Recently detected in Ghana, Marburg virus is characterized by an acute fever accompanied by external and internal hemorrhage. It has an average mortality rate of 50 percent. Reports from various scientists have revealed how the Marburg virus affects society.

WHO on alert: Two cases in Ghana

The WHO reported that two fatal cases of Marburg virus (MVD) have been detected in the Ashanti region in Ghana. «Both cases presented with fever, general malaise, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and subconjunctival bleeding (bleeding of the blood vessels in the eyes).»

The source of the virus is not known at this time. The two men had a total of 108 contacts, who have been notified. So far, no one who exposed to the sick people has come down with the virus. Filed Under: The Marburg Virus

Where did Marburg virus originate?

This virus, formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, was named after the German city where it was detected for the first time, in 1967, in a laboratory whose staff had been in contact with diseased monkeys that were imported from Uganda. The same year, two other outbreaks were detected in laboratories in Frankfurt, Germany, and in Belgrade (Yugoslavia, now Serbia). Seven people died from the disease.

The virus is part of the family of filoviridae (filovirus), like Ebola (with which it shares many characteristics), and is transmitted to humans through fruit bats (rousettus), Agencia Reforma said that they are usually considered the natural hosts of this virus. It is spread between humans by direct contact with the body fluids of infected people, or with surfaces or materials, according to the World Health Organization. Filed Under: The Marburg Virus

What are the symptoms?

The first symptoms of the Marburg virus disease are muscle aches, headache, and conjunctivitis, followed by sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and bleeding. This makes it difficult to distinguish this disease from others such as malaria, typhoid fever, cholera or other viral hemorrhagic fevers.

The disease has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days, according to the WHO, and then manifests its symptoms suddenly, with a high fever, intense headaches and great discomfort. There is no vaccine or any approved treatment to date. According to the WHO, several blood product-based treatments, immune therapies and drug treatments are under development. Oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms improve the survival rate. But it is a particularly deadly virus, with an average of one death for every two cases. Filed Under: The Marburg Virus