Amid reports of a deadly viral outbreak in Central Africa, researchers are reportedly struggling to develop treatments and vaccines to combat it marburg virus,
As of September 30, 2024, the country of Rwanda – which borders Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – has recorded 27 cases of the virus and nine deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Prevention (CDC).
Most of the cases have affected two health care workers health facilities In the city of Kigali, the same source said.
CDC warns US public health officials about Ebola-like disease
As the World Health Organization (WHO) noted on September 29, patients are being cared for in hospitals.
According to the CDC, the virus is spread by the Egyptian fruit bat (Egyptian rousette bat), which is found in both Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania. (Getty Images)
“Contact tracing is ongoing, with 300 contacts being followed up,” WHO said.
This is the first time Marburg virus has been reported in Rwanda.
What is Marburg virus?
Similar to Ebola, Marburg is a “rare but serious hemorrhagic fever” that can cause “severe illness and death” with a 20% to 90% mortality rate.
There are no confirmed cases in the United States, and the CDC says risk of infection There is less in the country.
Doctor says Marburg virus ‘will not become the next pandemic’ but should be monitored
“It is highly lethal in humans and has no cure – and unlike Ebola, there is no vaccine,” said Dr. Mark Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine. NYU Langone Medical Centertold Fox News Digital.
“It’s similar to Ebola because it causes hemorrhagic fever,” he said.
Marburg is “difficult to catch,” Siegel said, because it requires close contact with bodily secretions.
This color scanning electron micrograph, captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland, shows Marburg virus particles. (Getty Images)
According to the CDC, the virus is spread by the Egyptian fruit bat (Egyptian rousette bat), which is found in both Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania.
An infected human can transmit the disease to other humans through the exchange of bodily fluids and contaminated objects.
Marburg is a “rare but serious” hemorrhagic fever with a 20% to 90% mortality rate.
Marburg is not new – it was first discovered in 1967 outbreak happened In laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt (both in Germany) and Serbia (formerly in Belgrade, Yugoslavia).
In 2023, outbreaks of the virus occurred in Tanzania (resulting in five deaths) and Equatorial Guinea (12 deaths).
Symptoms, treatment and prevention
Initial signs and symptoms of the virus include fever, chills, rash with flat and raised bumps, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, chest pain, nausea. vomiting and diarrheaAccording to CDC.
Advanced stages of the disease may be marked by delirium, liver failure, shock, hemorrhagic hemorrhage, and organ failure.
The CDC said most of the cases have affected health care workers at two health facilities in the city of Kigali. (iStock)
Symptoms usually appear within two to 21 days of infection.
“In fatal cases, death occurs between eight and nine days after symptoms begin, usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock,” WHO said in its statement. health warning,
A tick-borne wetland virus recently discovered in China could damage the brain, researchers say.
The CDC said there is currently no treatment for Marburg other than “supportive care.”
The agency said patients should remain under the care of a doctor who can monitor oxygen status and blood pressure, provide intravenous fluids and treat any secondary infections.
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Rest and hydration are also key to recovery.
To prevent outbreaks, the CDC recommends avoiding contact with the blood and bodily fluids of sick people and those who have recovered from the virus until testing confirms the complete absence of the virus.
Marburg virus, first identified in 1967, causes a severe type of hemorrhagic fever that affects humans and non-human primates. (BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)
The CDC cautioned that people should also avoid touching objects that may be contaminated with an infected person’s bodily fluids.
There is currently no vaccine available for Marburg, although “some candidate vaccines are currently under development,” according to WHO.
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“There are promising vaccines and therapeutic candidates for MVD, but these must be proven clinical trials” the organization said.
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“WHO assesses that the risk of this outbreak is very high nationally, high regionally and low globally. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the outbreak and this risk assessment will be updated as more information becomes available. Will be received.”
