Ghana Reports Marburg Virus Outbreak — What Causes The Disease, Symptoms And Precautions

Ghana has confirmed the country’s first outbreak of Marburg virus. Two people from the Ashanti region of Ghana were found to be infected with the virus. They showed symptoms including diarrhoea, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Both died during treatment.

The samples collected from two patients were sent for tests. The Institut Pasteur’s laboratory in Dakar later confirmed that their illness was due to the Marburg virus. The first case was a 26-year-old man, who was admitted to the hospital on June 26 and died a day later. The second case was of a 51-year-old man, who was admitted to the hospital on June 28 and died on the same day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the local joint national investigative team and has deployed experts, made personal protective equipment available, bolstered disease surveillance with testing and tracing of contacts. Health authorities and the WHO are working with communities to alert and educate people about the risks and dangers of the disease.

What is the Marburg virus disease (MVD)?

Marburg virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness in humans that causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever.

The average MVD case fatality rate is around 50 percent. However, as per the WHO, the case fatality rates can vary from 24-88 percent depending on virus strain and case management.

The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) of the disease varies from 2-21 days.

The Marburg virus disease was first detected in 1967 during simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany and in Belgrade, Serbia.

Both Marburg and Ebola viruses are members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus). The two diseases are also clinically similar and have the capacity to cause outbreaks with high fatality rates.

Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly, causing high fever, severe headache and severe malaise.

Muscle aches and pains are a common symptom.

Symptoms like severe watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea and vomiting can begin on the third day and diarrhoea can persist for a week.

Most patients develop severe haemorrhagic manifestations between 5-7 days, and fatal cases usually have some form of bleeding, often from multiple areas of the body.

During the severe phase of illness, patients have sustained high fevers.

In fatal cases, death commonly occurs between 8-9 days after symptom onset, usually due to severe blood loss and shock.

Marburg virus spreads between humans through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people. It also spreads through contact with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.

Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccines approved for MVD. However, supportive care with frequent rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and treatment of specific symptoms can improve chances of survival.