Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)

Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) is a severe and often fatal zoonotic disease caused by the Marburg virus, a member of the Filoviridae family, the same family as Ebola.

Transmission

The natural reservoir is the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Humans may contract the virus through prolonged exposure to bat-inhabited caves or mines. Human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials such as bedding and medical equipment. It is not an airborne disease and does not spread through casual contact.

Symptoms

The incubation period is 2–21 days. Early symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, rash, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Severe cases can progress to liver failure, shock, haemorrhage, multi-organ dysfunction and death.

Mortality

The average case-fatality rate is around 50%, with previous outbreaks recording rates ranging from 24% to 88%.

Treatment

There is currently no specific vaccine or approved specific treatment for MVD. Management is mainly supportive care, including intravenous fluids, electrolyte replacement, pain relief and treatment of complications.