Q&A: What is the Marburg virus and should we be concerned about it spreading?

Licensed clinician Hala Fawal practices drawing blood from a patient using a dummy in Anniston, Ala, in 2014. Picture: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File

The World Health Organisation confirmed on Monday that one person in Guinea, West Africa, has died of the Marburg virus.

This marks the first time the disease has been identified in West Africa - but does the Marburg virus have the potential to spread far and wide?

What is the Marburg virus?

According to WHO, Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.

The case-fatality ratio is up to 88% but can be considerably lower with good patient care.

The disease was initially detected in 1967 after simultaneous outbreaks in the German towns of Marburg and Frankfurt; and also in Belgrade, Serbia.

What are the symptoms?

The incubation period of the virus varies from 2 to 21 days, meaning the interval from infection to the onset of symptoms could be up to three weeks.

WHO has described the illness caused by Marburg as “abrupt.” 

Symptoms include:

• High fever, severe headache, and severe unease 
• Watery diarrhea that can persist for a week 
• Abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting can be expected on the third day 
• Appearance of patients described as “ghost-like” with deep-set eyes, expressionless faces, and extreme lethargy 
• A non-itchy rash was a feature noted in the 1967 European outbreak 

However, many patients develop severe hemorrhagic, and in fatal cases, death occurs most often between 8 and 9 days after symptom onset, usually due to severe blood loss and shock.

Is Marburg similar to the Ebola virus?

Marburg and Ebola viruses are both members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus).

Though caused by different viruses, the two diseases are clinically very similar.

Both diseases are quite rare and have the capacity to cause outbreaks with high fatality rates.

Guinea's new case was first identified last week, just two months after the country was declared free of Ebola following a brief flare-up earlier this year that killed 12 people.

How is the virus spread?

Initial transmission resulted from spending a long period of time in mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies.

The virus spreads through human-to-human transmission through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids from infected people, and also by surfaces contaminated with these infected fluids.

What role do animals play in spreading the Marburg virus?

Rousettus aegyptiacus, fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family, are considered to be natural hosts of Marburg virus.

The Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-human transmission.

African green monkeys imported from Uganda were the source of infection for humans during the first Marburg outbreak.

It has been reported that through experimental inoculations in pigs with different Ebola viruses, they are susceptible to filovirus infection.

Is there a vaccine?

There are currently no vaccines or anti-viral treatments for the disease.