Outbreak Of Marburg Virus In Equatorial Guinea; 9 Killed So Far
For the first time, the World Health Organization confirmed a Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea.
According to this organization, 9 people have died as a result of this virus infection, and 16 other suspected cases have been identified with symptoms such as fever, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Last week, laboratory samples sent from Equatorial Guinea to a laboratory in Senegal confirmed health officials’ concerns about the virus’s spread.
The Marburg virus is a virus that causes hemorrhagic or bleeding fever. It is a severe and contagious type of fever caused by the filovirus family.
The filovirus family includes this virus and four other ebolaviruses.
Humans and other primates can be infected with Marburg hemorrhagic fever.
The virus was discovered in 1967 after some laboratory workers in Marburg were exposed to African green monkey tissues.
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Symptoms Of Marburg Virus
This virus exhibits a wide range of symptoms. The following are some of the Marburg virus’s symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Diarrhea
- Shock
- Delirium
- High fever
- Prolonged chills
- Severe headache
- Myalgia
- Nausea
- A sore throat
- Jaundice
- Abdominal pain
- Pancreas inflammation
- Massive hemorrhaging
- Severe weight loss
- Maculopapular rash and trunk rash
This virus can also cause muscle pain, hypovolemic shock, hemorrhage, multi-organ dysfunction, and other symptoms.
Causes Of Marburg Virus
The main cause of this virus is infectious agent transmission from one person to another via the following modes:
- Saliva
- Air
- Cough
- Fecal-oral route
- Surface
- Blood transfusions
- Used needles
- Sexual contact
- Mother to fetus
- Exposure to the infected person
Other sources of infection include primates, working in an animal laboratory, and animal quarantine.
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Diagnosis Of Marburg Virus
The following are some of the tests and methods of diagnosis used:
- Virus isolation examination
- ELISA test for IgG capture
- Immunohistochemistry
- Polymerase chain reaction analysis (PCR)
- Testing for antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA)
The disease can also be diagnosed using a PCR test on blood and tissue samples from an infected patient.
Treatments For Marburg Virus
- Some of the treatments are as follows:
- Keeping the patient’s body fluids and electrolytes in check
- Keeping the patient’s oxygen levels and blood pressure stable
- Treatments for blood clotting Replacement of lost blood
- Fresh-frozen plasma infusion
Heparin may also be used to prevent the consumption of clotting factors as part of the treatment.
Complications Of Marburg Virus
- Some of the complications are as follows:
- Dysfunction of multiple organs
- Failure of the liver
- Pancreatic inflammation
- Hepatitis
- Inflammation of the parotid gland
- Myelitis of the transverse forearm
Chronic hepatitis, eye inflammation, spinal cord inflammation, and orchitis are all possible complications. This virus is a serious disease that can even result in death. To avoid secondary transmission of this disease, proper precautions
should be taken.
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Marburg virus is typically transmitted by African green monkeys.
If left untreated, the disease causes severe hemorrhagic fever, which can lead to death.
You should exercise caution while suffering from such a disease.
FAQs Related To Outbreak Of Marburg Virus In Equatorial Guinea
Is the Marburg virus still around?
After nearly 18 years, two cases of Marburg virus disease were identified in Ghana’s Ashanti region in July 2022. Ghana is infected with the Marburg virus.
The risk of this 2022 outbreak spreading is high at the national level but low at the global level, according to WHO. Ghana is infected with the Marburg virus.
Can you survive the Marburg virus?
Many of the symptoms of MVD are similar to those of other infectious diseases (such as malaria or typhoid fever) or viral hemorrhagic fevers that may be prevalent in the area (such as Lassa fever or Ebola).
This is especially true if there is only one case involved. The case-fatality rate for MVD ranges from 23 to 90%.
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How do you get the Marburg virus?
The virus spreads through contact (such as broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth) with Blood or body fluids (urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, and semen) of a person who has Marburg virus disease or has died from it.
What happens when you get the Marburg virus?
The Marburg virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads via human-to-human transmission.
In humans, it causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever. Marburg hemorrhagic fever has a case-fatality rate ranging from 23 to 90%.
Who is most at risk for Marburg?
Historically, the people most at risk have been family members and hospital staff caring for Marburg virus-infected patients who have not used proper infection prevention and control measures.
How do you survive in Marburg?
Survival is improved by supportive care, such as rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and treatment of specific symptoms. There is currently no proven treatment for Marburg virus disease.
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Does Marburg spread through the air?
MVD is not an airborne disease and is not considered contagious until symptoms appear.
How do you prevent Marburg from spreading?
Wearing protective gowns, gloves, and masks; isolating the infected individual; and sterilizing or properly disposing of needles, equipment, and patient excretions are all examples of precautions.
What does Marburg do to humans?
Marburg virus disease is a serious infection that causes hemorrhagic fever in both humans and animals.
Diseases that cause hemorrhagic fevers, such as Marburg, are frequently fatal because they affect the vascular system of the body (how blood moves through the body).
This can result in severe internal bleeding and organ failure.
Is Marburg curable?
Marburg virus disease has no specific treatment. Supportive hospital therapy, such as balancing the patient’s fluids and electrolytes, maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure, replacing lost blood and clotting factors, and treating any complicating infections should be used.
Is Marburg or Ebola worse?
The Marburg and Ebola viruses are both filamentous filoviruses that cause clinically similar diseases characterized by hemorrhagic fevers and capillary leakage. The Ebola virus is slightly more dangerous than the Marburg virus.
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Where is Marburg found?
MVD is found in sporadic outbreaks across Sub-Saharan Africa. Many previous outbreaks began with male mine workers working in bat-infested mines.
The virus then spread within their communities via cultural practices, families, and healthcare workers.
Is there a vaccine for Marburg?
The vaccine, developed by researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a branch of the National Institutes of Health, could one day be a valuable tool in responding to Marburg virus outbreaks.