Could the Marburg Virus Start Another Outbreak? What We Know – Healthline
Share on PinterestThe Marburg virus is unfold by fruit bats. Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post by way of Getty ImagesHealth authorities in the West African nation of Guinea confirmed a case of Marburg virus illness earlier this month.This is the first time this virus, which causes a extremely infectious hemorrhagic fever just like Ebola, has been detected in West Africa.The WHO calls the illness “epidemic-prone,” which means that it may well unfold simply between individuals if not prevented.As the world focuses on battling COVID-19, one other harmful virus was detected in Africa this month, inflicting concern amongst well being consultants. Health authorities in the West African nation of Guinea confirmed a case of Marburg virus illness on August 9, in the southern Gueckedou prefecture, in line with the World Health Organization (WHO).This is the first time this virus, which causes a extremely infectious hemorrhagic fever just like Ebola, has been detected in West Africa.“We applaud the alertness and the quick investigative action by Guinea’s health workers. The potential for the Marburg virus to spread far and wide means we need to stop it in its tracks,” Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, mentioned in an announcement. “We are working with the health authorities to implement a swift response that builds on Guinea’s past experience and expertise in managing Ebola, which is transmitted in a similar way.”According to the WHO, Gueckedou, the place this case of Marburg illness was recognized, is the similar area that skilled instances of the 2021 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, and the place the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak was initially detected.Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, director of worldwide well being at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, New York, advised Healthline that Marburg virus is a kind of viral hemorrhagic fever.“Hemorrhagic fever is any infectious fever that causes internal bleeding,” he defined. “Usually from an overwhelming inflammatory reaction that decreases a patient’s platelets and clotting factors.”The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that though some varieties of hemorrhagic fever viruses could cause comparatively gentle sicknesses, many of those viruses could cause extreme, life threatening illness.According to the CDC, viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are brought on by 4 distinct virus households: Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Filoviridae, and Flaviviridae. The Marburg virus is taken into account a filovirus (filoviridae).“Filovirus is the same family of viruses that Ebola belongs to,” mentioned Cioe-Peña. “Symptoms are virtually identical to Ebola and mortality ranges widely from less than Ebola — about 28 percent is the lowest mortality and 88 percent is the highest recorded mortality.”Cioe-Peña mentioned signs embody fever, malaise, physique aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and inner hemorrhaging.The WHO calls the illness “epidemic-prone,” which means that it may well unfold simply between individuals if not prevented. There have been earlier Marburg outbreaks in different elements of Africa, together with Angola, Uganda, and South Africa.“The filoviruses are not as contagious as what we’re used to with COVID-19,” mentioned Cioe-Peña. “Infection usually occurs with direct contact with the body fluids of an infected individual, usually close family members, or people participating in funeral rituals that involve close contact with the body.”The excellent news, he added, is that consciousness of stopping viral hemorrhage and fever is “very fresh” on the minds of these in Guinea, resulting from the Ebola outbreak in 2014.“The fact that this was detected after one case speaks to the surveillance and commitment of the governments of West African countries to prevent another epidemic like 2014,” he mentioned.A 2012 article printed in the journal Viruses discovered that the first reported filovirus hemorrhagic fever outbreak happened in Germany and the former Yugoslavia in 1967.It started when lab employees in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, in Belgrade, and Yugoslavia (now Serbia), contracted a “previously unknown infectious agent.”Of 31 sufferers that developed extreme illness, it prompted loss of life in 7 instances. According to the article, the supply of an infection was traced again to African inexperienced monkeys imported from Uganda and shipped to all three places.Decades later, we perceive that monkeys weren’t the major supply of the virus.“The host of Marburg virus is the fruit bat,” mentioned Cioe-Peña. “They don’t show signs of illness, however, and can carry the virus.”He defined that the virus can then bounce to an intermediate host, like a monkey, which may transmit to people, or it may well transmit to people straight by contact with fruit bats or their guano. Dr. Teresa Murray Amato, chair of emergency drugs at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, in New York, mentioned the indicators and signs of Marburg HF (hemorrhagic fever) are skilled inside 5 to 10 days of publicity and embody:sudden onset of excessive feverchillsheadachebody aches “After about 5 days of the initial symptoms, a rash develops mostly on the chest and back,” she mentioned. “ Additional symptoms then occur that include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, chest pain, and abdominal pain.”She identified that after this, there could also be pores and skin colour modifications the place the pores and skin seems yellow (jaundice).“The pancreas and the liver become inflamed leading to liver failure and massive bleeding,” continued Amato.Amato defined that whereas there’s no particular therapy for Marburg illness, most individuals looking for care would require intravenous (IV) fluids, substitute of electrolytes, supplemental oxygen, and substitute of blood and blood merchandise.She confirmed that there’s at the moment no vaccine in opposition to this virus.“About 25 to 30 percent of people who contract Marburg HF will succumb to the disease,” she continued, and warned that the illness isn’t straightforward to establish.“Marburg HF may be difficult to diagnose initially, as the presentation initially resembles many more common viral infections,” she mentioned.Amato emphasised that it’s essential for sufferers to inform their physician in the event that they’ve traveled to an space that could be related to an publicity to the virus that causes Marburg illness.The WHO confirmed that well being authorities in the West African nation of Guinea have lately recognized a case of Marburg virus illness.This virus causes signs just like Ebola. It’s a kind of hemorrhagic fever that causes inner bleeding and originates in a species of fruit bat. Experts say that Guinea’s current expertise with an Ebola outbreak in 2014 has enabled the West African nation to shortly management the state of affairs.