Marburg Virus Cases
Highlights
- Two cases of Marburg virus have been found in Ghana
- Hemorrhagic fever was known as
- Average death rate up to about 50 percent
Marburg Virus Cases in Ghana: The first two cases of the deadly Marburg virus were confirmed in Ghana in July 2022. This highly contagious virus belongs to the same family that causes Ebola. The Conversation Africa’s Vale Fatade and Usifo Omozokpia asked virologist Oyewale Tomori about its origins and wanted to know how people can protect themselves from the disease.
What is Marburg virus and where did it come from?
Marburg virus causes Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever. This virus, belonging to the same family as the Ebola virus, causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever in humans, with an average mortality rate of about 50 percent. This rate varies from 24 percent to 88 percent in different outbreaks, depending on the nature of the virus and the management of the cases.
It was first reported in 1967 in the German city of Marburg and Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). The disease spread simultaneously in both the cities. It was spread from monkeys brought from Uganda to study in the laboratory on Marburg. Laboratory workers became infected as a result of working with material (blood, tissue and cells) belonging to the monkeys. Of the 31 cases linked to these diseases, seven people died.
Cases have been reported in different parts of the world after the initial outbreak. Most cases occurred in Africa in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and most recently in Guinea and Ghana. Serological studies have also revealed evidence of Marburg virus infection in Nigeria in the past. The carrier or source of the virus has not been conclusively identified but has been linked to the fruit bat. In the year 2008, two cases were reported among travelers who visited a cave in Uganda.
How does this virus spread?
This virus is spread through contact with the carrier or reservoir of infection (fluid, blood, tissue and cells). In the case of Marburg transmission from Ugandan monkeys, laboratory workers were affected by exposure to monkey cells and blood.
It can also spread from person to person through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, organs or other body fluids and surfaces and materials of infected people. It is also spread through materials such as bedding, and clothing contaminated with these liquids. But, there is much that we don’t know about. For example, can people get infected by coming into contact with places with bats in caves?
What are the symptoms of this disease and how bad are they?
After some symptoms appear over a period of two to 21 days, fever, chills, headache and muscle aches occur. Around the fifth day after the onset of symptoms, some rash may appear on the chest, back, abdomen. Nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, abdominal pain and diarrhea may also occur. Symptoms rapidly become severe and include jaundice, pancreatic inflammation, rapid weight loss, liver failure, massive bleeding and multiple organ dysfunction.
The disease has an average mortality rate of 50 percent and can be as high as 88 percent or as low as 20 percent. This suggests that it is a serious infection. Two people were infected in Ghana and both died.
Does it have treatment?
There is really no treatment, but early care and symptomatic treatment with no dehydration, improves survival.
What can people do to help?
There will never be a break from illness. This means that the level of surveillance in the country should always be maintained, we can never stop it.
We must be cautious in the light of Ghana’s affairs. There should be adequate monitoring, investigation. Those coming from Ghana and other West African countries should be screened. But, this is not happening. The trend everywhere is that there have been only two cases in Ghana so far. But, this is the opportune time to increase vigil at airports, seaports and other places. Studies in Nigeria from the 1980s and 1990s provided evidence that some of the country’s population was affected by Marburg virus or related viruses. From this it seems that it is spreading faster than we know.
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