In Equatorial Guinea in West Africa there is an outbreak of the dangerous Marburg virus. The World Health Organization is currently assuming nine deaths, and at least 16 suspected cases are in quarantine. Authorities in the border region in neighboring Cameroon also reported two suspected cases on February 13.
Marburg virus causes severe hemorrhagic fever, symptoms include very high fever, rashes, severe pain, internal bleeding. Patients sometimes vomit blood and have bloody diarrhea. There is no antiviral drug against the virus.
It was recently detected in one of eight blood samples taken in a special WHO laboratory in Senegal. Whether other blood samples will also show evidence of the virus remains to be seen in the coming days.
Like Ebola, the Marburg virus belongs to the filoviruses. In past outbreaks, between 23 and 100 percent of all those infected died, the WHO assumes a death rate of up to 88 percent. It is transmitted through direct contact with body fluids from infected people or when surfaces are contaminated with them. The natural reservoir of the virus is the Egyptian Fruit Bat, which feeds on fruit and lives in the forests of West Africa. These bats don’t get sick from the virus. The virus usually spreads to humans when they eat infected animals or have very close contact with nature.
The virus broke out after a funeral
In the current outbreak, the first fatality died on January 7th. The virus broke out after a funeral. So far, nine people have died, presumably from the virus, 16 are in quarantine and 15 contacts are being monitored. All those affected were probably in close contact with each other. Family members who live very close together or health workers who care for the sick person in close physical contact or change their bed linen without protective clothing are often infected with the Marburg virus. The incubation period for the Marburg virus can be between three days and three weeks. Most victims die about eight to nine days after infection, often because of severe blood loss.
The natural reservoir of the Marburg virus is the Nile fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus.
:
Image: AP
In West Africa there are repeated outbreaks of the Marburg virus, in Guinea a farmer living in isolation died in 2021. In most outbreaks, few people have been infected. The largest occurred in 2005, when at least 252 people became infected in Angola, 90 percent of whom died.
The virus was discovered in a laboratory in Marburg, Hesse, in 1967. There were also two cases in Belgrade at almost the same time. They were laboratory workers who handled vervet monkeys, small primates, from Uganda. A total of 31 were infected. There were seven deaths.
Emergency responders from the World Health Organization are currently deployed in West Africa. “Thanks to the swift and decisive action taken by the Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease, the emergency response can quickly go into full swing so that we can save lives and stop the virus as soon as possible,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, on April 13 . February.
There is no special drug to cure infected people. However, the course can be alleviated in part by treating the symptoms, for example by giving fluids or painkillers. There is no vaccination either. A possible vaccine is being tested in early clinical trials. Various treatment options such as immunotherapies are also being researched. However, no drug or vaccine has been approved yet.