About Marburg Virus Disease (MVD):
- MVD, formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness caused by the Marburg virus.
- The Marburg virus is a zoonotic virus that belongs to the Filoviridae family (filovirus), the same group of viruses that includes Ebola.
- It is a rare disease that occurs in humans and non-human primates (chimpanzees, gorillas, and monkeys).
- It is named for the German city where scientists became ill with the disease's first known cases in 1967 while handling monkeys imported from Africa.
- The Marburg virus is most commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Transmission:
- The Marburg virus is naturally carried by Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), which serve as its primary reservoir.
- Once a human is infected, the virus spreads through direct contact with the blood, saliva, vomit, urine, faeces, and other bodily fluids of an infected person.
- It can also spread through contaminated objects such as bedding, clothing or medical equipment that have come into contact with infected bodily fluids.
- Unlike some respiratory viruses, Marburg is not airborne and does not spread through casual contact.
- Treatment:
- There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for MVD.
- Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and supporting patients through the course of the disease.
