Brief overview
- Description: dangerous pathogen that is particularly widespread in Central Africa. Similar to the Ebola virus.
- Symptoms: e.g. flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, vomiting, internal and external bleeding, possibly signs of shock (e.g. cold sweats, malaise)
- Vaccination: No vaccination approved to date, but currently being researched.
- Treatment: Only treatment of symptoms possible, e.g. with infusions to compensate for water and salt loss.
- Prognosis: High mortality rate (up to 88 percent); cure possible, especially with early treatment
- Infection: via smear infection (e.g. contact with infected semen, vomit, blood or contaminated bed linen)
- Examination and diagnosis: Diagnosis e.g. via detection of the viral genetic material (using RT-PCR test); further examinations e.g. to clarify internal bleeding
What is the Marburg virus?
The Marburg virus is a pathogen with a similar structure to the Ebola virus. It is mainly found in Central Africa and causes Marburg fever (Marburg fever).
This is a rare but serious infectious disease that very often leads to death. However, a cure is possible, especially with timely treatment.
Like Ebola fever and dengue fever, Marburg fever is one of the (viral) hemorrhagic fevers. These are severe febrile infectious diseases that are accompanied by bleeding.
Obligation to report
In Germany and Austria, all suspected cases, illnesses and deaths caused by the Marburg virus must be reported to the health authorities together with the names of those affected.
In Switzerland, all suspected cases as well as positive and negative laboratory findings must be reported by name.
What symptoms does the Marburg virus cause?
Infection with the Marburg virus – Marburg fever – initially manifests itself with severe flu-like symptoms:
Those affected suddenly develop a fever, chills and severe muscle pain. Headaches and sore throats can also occur.
Those affected also develop diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain.
An infection with the Marburg virus is dangerous because of the bleeding that develops about a week after the onset of symptoms. Internal bleeding in the stomach, intestines and lungs plays a particularly important role. Bleeding in the mouth, eyes and skin also occurs.
This is because the loss of blood means that there is no longer enough blood available for the circulatory system. The body therefore tries to “save” blood: it primarily supplies the center of the body and the head. To do this, it reduces blood flow to the extremities.
As a result of the internal bleeding, vital organs can fail simultaneously or in quick succession (e.g. kidneys, lungs). Such multi-organ failure is often fatal.
Is there a vaccine against the Marburg virus?
There is currently no vaccine against the Marburg virus. However, researchers have been searching for an effective vaccine for several years.
A vaccine candidate is currently being tested and has performed well in the first phase of testing. Whether and when it will be officially approved as a vaccine against the serious infectious disease cannot be predicted. However, approval is not expected in the foreseeable future.
How is Marburg fever treated?
To date, there is no medicine against the Marburg virus itself – in other words, there is no way to treat the causes of the dangerous Marburg fever.
However, doctors can alleviate the symptoms of the infectious disease (symptomatic therapy). Above all, it is important to restore the patient’s water and electrolyte balance:
Depending on requirements, other therapeutic measures may also be useful. For example, doctors can administer tranquilizers (sedatives) to their seriously ill patients.
Due to the high risk of infection, medical staff must wear full protective equipment when caring for Marburg fever patients.
How deadly is the Marburg virus?
The fatality rate for an infection with the Marburg virus is quite high: it is 24 to 88 percent. Death usually occurs eight to nine days after the onset of symptoms.
The chances of recovery increase if infected persons receive medical treatment at an early stage.
How is the Marburg virus transmitted?
The Marburg virus is highly contagious! Infected people can transmit it to healthy people via smear infection: they excrete the pathogen via bodily secretions such as saliva, blood, vomit, semen, urine and stool. Healthy people can become infected through contact with such excretions.
This can happen, for example, if they touch an open wound or the patient’s contaminated bed linen and then touch their mouth or nose.
After infection, it takes two to 21 days for the first symptoms of the disease to appear (incubation period).
How can a Marburg virus infection be diagnosed?
In order to reliably diagnose the serious infectious disease Marburg fever, doctors must detect the Marburg virus in patient samples (e.g. blood).
A so-called RT-PCR test (abbreviation for reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) is commonly used for this purpose. This allows even the smallest snippets of the pathogen’s genetic material to be detected.
However, the Marburg virus can also be detected indirectly in patient samples: Infected people produce specific antibodies (immunoglobulins) against the pathogen one week after infection. These can be detected in the blood.
There are also other ways of diagnosing Marburg fever. For example, direct detection is possible if the Marburg virus can be detected in patient samples using an electron microscope or isolated from cell cultures.
Because the Marburg virus is highly contagious, only high-security laboratories are allowed to carry out such tests.
Further examinations
With the help of further tests, doctors can find out more about the patient’s condition.
The therapy is based on these examination findings.
