Marburg virus - the next pandemic?

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1 Introduction

The Marburg virus is a member of the filovirus family, along with its better-known relative Ebola. The virus was first discovered in 1967 in Marburg, Germany, when laboratory workers were exposed to infected monkeys imported from Uganda.[1] Like Ebola virus, it causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans with a mortality rate of up to 80%.[2] It is thought that most human outbreaks have originated from contact with infected wild primates or exposure to blood or body fluids during burial ceremonies.[3]

2 The term ‘Marburg hemorrhagic fever’ refers to severe, multi-organ disease in humans caused by a virus from the same family as Ebola virus.[1]

Marburg virus is a highly lethal, negative-sense single-stranded RNA viral hemorrhagic fever (HFV) in the family Filoviridae. Marburg virus disease (MVD) is characterized by severe multi-organ dysfunction and hemorrhage. The term ‘Marburg hemorrhagic fever’ (MHF) refers to severe, multi-organ disease in humans caused by a virus from the same family as Ebola virus.

3 There is no treatment for the disease so far.

Right now, there is no treatment for Marburg.

The disease is fatal in most cases and can be treated with supportive therapy and anti-viral drugs.

The World Health Organisation says there is no vaccine for Marburg, nor any specific treatment. However, experts say it could take years before one becomes available.

4 It’s transmitted through body fluids.

The Marburg virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is infected with the virus. It can also be transmitted to others by contact with contaminated needles and syringes, medical equipment, and infected animals.

Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) is a rare but severe viral disease that can be transmitted from person to person. It occurs in two forms: Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever (MHF) and Marburg Variant Fever (MVF). Both forms are caused by infection with the same virus called “Marburg Virus” or “MARV” for short.

5 It’s one of the most infectious virus ever discovered.

Marburg virus is one of the most infectious viruses ever discovered. It’s more contagious than Ebola and even more so than the Hanta virus, poliovirus and smallpox.

The Marburg virus gets its name from a city in Germany where the first outbreak occurred in 1967. The outbreak took place at a lab working with African green monkeys, where they were dissecting them to study their kidneys – which may have been infected with Marburg. The workers who handled these monkeys became ill with what appeared to be flu-like symptoms such as high fever, nausea/vomiting and diarrhoea (4). However two weeks later these people developed severe bleeding from various parts of their body including gums mouth lining stomach lining eyes uterus (5) kidneys brain joints muscles etc (6). This type of bleeding is called ‘hemorrhagic fever’ caused by an infected person’s blood clots breaking apart causing leakage into surrounding tissues which can lead to organ failure and death if left untreated

6 It is deadliest than Ebola.

The Marburg virus is a highly infectious and deadly filovirus that causes the Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF).

Unlike Ebola, where most survivors recover after about two weeks, the Marburg virus kills more than 50% of those infected.

In fact, MHF is considered more deadly than Ebola because it’s less likely to prompt an immune response in humans. The fatality rate can also be as high as 90%.

The Marburg hemorrhagic fever begins with flu-like symptoms including high temperature, muscle aches and headaches. This leads to severe tremors before evolving into multi-organ failure and bleeding out through mucous membranes or through open skin wounds such as needle pricks from IVs used to treat them!

7 Most patients develop severe headache, high fever, chills, back pain, myalgia (muscle pain), nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain and sore throat.[1]

The symptoms vary depending on the strain of Marburg virus, but they usually include:

• Fever (usually high)
• Headache
• Muscle aches or joint pain
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea[1]

These symptoms are similar to those seen with other diseases such as Ebola, H1N1 and H5N1.

8 Some people may develop a rash, red eyes and internal and external bleeding.[1]

Some people may develop a rash, red eyes and internal and external bleeding.[1]

The rash is normally the first sign of infection. It can appear 2 to 10 days after exposure to the virus, but it’s not always present in all cases. The rash typically starts on the face or hands, before spreading to other parts of the body. The rash may be small (like a mosquito bite) or larger than 5 cm across and flat.[2] The colour can vary from crimson to brick red.[3] In some cases, it might look like a bruise or have a purplish-brown tinge with irregular edges.[4] Itchy rashes are common but not all rashes are itchy; some people may just feel dryness on their skin without itching at all! So don’t worry if you don’t get an itchy rash—it doesn’t mean that you’ve caught Marburg fever…

9 In most cases the patient dies within 7-14 days after the onset of symptoms.[1]

In most cases the patient dies within 7-14 days after the onset of symptoms.[1] Some patients may live longer, some may recover partially, a rare few may fully recover and very rarely, patients may be immune to this virus. There is also the possibility that these patients could have long term problems due to the disease.

10 Marburg hemorrhagic fever occurs sporadically, with outbreaks of varying size that have occurred in Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa.

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is an infectious disease caused by Marburg virus. Transmission to humans occurs via contact with body fluids of infected persons or animals, either directly or through broken skin or mucous membranes. The virus can also be transmitted via contaminated laboratory samples and medical equipment.

It was first discovered in 1967 when laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt were simultaneously hit by outbreaks of a mysterious new disease that turned out to be Marburg virus infection. A few dozen people died from it, but before the outbreak could be controlled local authorities imposed a news blackout on coverage of the event and ordered all victims buried without autopsies being performed on them—a situation which led some journalists to speculate that this was connected with fears that there might be something else causing similar symptoms (for example, Ebola).

11 If a pandemic starts in one location it can spread rapidly to infect millions of people.

If a pandemic starts in one location it can spread rapidly to infect millions of people. The Marburg virus is spread through body fluids and can be transmitted through contact with another person who is infected. It can also be transmitted through blood, saliva, urine, breast milk, semen and other body fluids.

The virus is spread by touching the infected person’s blood or other bodily fluids or by touching contaminated objects such as clothing, bedding and medical equipment used by an infected person or their household contacts (e.g., needles).

12 Conclusion

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a rare but highly contagious disease that affects humans and non-human primates. It’s one of the most deadly viruses ever discovered, with a mortality rate of up to 90%. In this article we saw what causes Marburg virus infection, how it spreads and how we can prevent this deadly virus from spreading further by taking simple precautions such as handwashing after using public toilets or touching sick animals. We also discussed how healthcare workers need better training on handling these types of diseases so they can quickly identify them whenever they appear in hospitals or clinics around the world