News: WHO confirmed a new case of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Uganda.

About

• Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) is a severe viral haemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate.
• Earlier known as: Marburg haemorrhagic fever.
• First detected: 1967 in Marburg & Frankfurt (Germany) and Belgrade (Serbia).
• Causative agents: Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV).
• Family: Filoviridae (same family as Ebola virus).

Natural Host

• Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) is the natural reservoir.

Transmission

• Animal to Human: Exposure to caves/mines inhabited by infected fruit bats.
• Human to Human: Direct contact with infected blood, body fluids, organs, or contaminated materials.

Key Facts

• Incubation Period: 2–21 days.
• Symptoms: High fever, severe headache, muscle pain, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, followed by internal/external bleeding.
• Diagnosis: Difficult to distinguish from malaria, typhoid, meningitis, Ebola, and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.
• Case Fatality Rate (CFR): Around 50% (can reach 88% in some outbreaks).

Treatment

• No approved vaccine or antiviral treatment currently.
• Supportive care improves survival.
• Candidate vaccines (e.g., Sabin's cAd3-Marburg vaccine) are under clinical trials.