Marburg Virus: The Past, Present and Future

Marburg virus (MARV) and Ebola virus (EBV) belong to the family Filoviridae and cause acute haemorrhagic fever (a highly fatal disease). The genus Marburgvirus includes two viruses- MARV and Ravn. These are enveloped, non-segmented, single-stranded RNA viruses, with pleomorphic, filamentous, cord-like, spherical viral particles, and branching pattern with sizes ranging from 795-828 nm. The Centre of Disease Control categorized these viruses under Group A bioterrorism agents, which can only be processed in level 4 Biosafety conditions (Risk group -4 pathogens). MARV causes a zoonotic disease. The reservoir of MARV is an Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus. Human-to-human transmission is observed via infection via direct contact, exposure to infected patients (body fluids and secretions), and sexual contact. The incubation period range is 2-21 days. The first lab-related outbreak occurred simultaneously in 1967 in Germany and Serbia in laboratories working on green African monkeys brought from Uganda. Since then, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Uganda, United States, Netherlands, and Ghana have experienced outbreaks. One factor common to all index cases was visits to caves and exposure to insectivorous bats and their secretions. The three clinical phases are generalized, early organ and late organ. Case fatality rate is up to 23%-90%. Clinical features include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea and severe myalgia. These nonspecific symptoms make it difficult to diagnose. Marburg Virus disease (MVD) is identified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). There is no specific treatment available.

We welcome molecular virology studies, reviews, original studies, methods, perspectives, and hypothesis and theory on the Marburg Virus past, present, and future.