What is the Marburg Virus Disease? |Marburg Virus Outbreak|

Marburg Virus Disease – There are thousands of different living organisms which are so small that you can’t even see them with your naked eyes. These types of living organisms are classified as microorganisms, and they are known to cause tons of different diseases in humans. 

Marburg virus is an example of those microorganisms which are known to cause serious diseases in humans. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States recently released two updates on the latest outbreak of the Marburg virus in 2 regions of the world.

Equatorial Guinea in central Africa and Tanzania and East African countries have recorded some cases of Marburg virus disease. The CDC has released a press statement mentioning that Americans should be very careful while traveling to both of these regions.

Healthcare experts around the world do not believe that the Marburg virus disease is going to spread like COVID-19 or any other virus. Still, we are here to help you understand all the basics of Marburg virus disease so that you can ensure your safety during your travels to these African regions.

What is Marburg Virus Disease?

Marburg virus disease is a highly rare illness that is caused by the same named virus. Marburg virus belongs to a class that is also known to have a similar virus named ebola virus.

Ebola virus and Marburg virus both can cause serious bleeding, shock, and organ failure. The disease is not common in the United States as the United States hardly records any cases of the disease in the country.

The disease can spread to humans through contact with the blood, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected animals. There are several animals in the world which are known to spread the Marburg virus disease, and animals like fruit bats and monkeys are some examples.

You may also quote the Marburg virus after touching contaminated surfaces or equipment. You may also try to maintain a healthy distance from Humans as well.

What are the Symptoms of Marburg Virus Disease?

As we have already discussed, the Marburg virus disease is a serious disease that may have a longer list of symptoms. Marburg disease is some of the diseases which may also cause unique symptoms depending on the previous medical condition of the patient.

Before a patient starts developing the symptoms of Marburg virus disease, there is an incubation period of around 2 to 21 days depending on various conditions.

The incubation period of any virus means that you will spend a specific time without developing any symptoms after getting exposed to the virus. Your previous medical condition may also increase or decrease the number of days of the incubation period.

Once the incubation period of the Marburg virus is over, you may start developing the below-given symptoms:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Rash
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Red eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Confusion
• Agitation
• Hallucinations

These are the most common symptoms of Marburg virus disease. There is a probability that you might experience all of these symptoms, or you might not experience more than 2 or 3.

Serious Symptoms of Marburg Virus Disease

As the disease progresses, It may also cause severe complications, including:

Hemorrhagic fever (bleeding from the eyes, gums, nose, or other parts of the body), Shock, and Seizures.

Marburg virus disease is in the category of some diseases which may also cause conditions like Coma. 

If there is any outbreak of the disease, or you are visiting a place where few cases of the disease have already been diagnosed, you should take full precautions and try to prevent the condition in the first place.

Apart from all that, the Marburg virus disease may also cause respiratory symptoms, which are known to cause electronic conditions. Difficulty breathing and persistent cough are some of the prime examples of serious symptoms.

What are the Causes of the Marburg Virus Disease?

Understanding the causes of any disease is the best way to prevent it in the first place. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released an advisory mentioning that Americans who are going to travel to Africa should learn the basics of Marburg virus disease.

Marburg virus is the prime cause of Marburg virus disease. It is a highly infectious and deadly virus that belongs to a class of viruses That include the ebola virus.

Marburg virus can get transmitted to humans through different channels.

• First of all, the Marburg virus can spread through direct contact with infected animals, which include fruit bats and non-human primates. 
• You should try to avoid any direct contact with the bodily fluids of these infected humans, which also include blood, urine, saliva, and feces.
• Marburg virus disease can also spread from one person to another through bodily fluids. You should try to maintain a distance from the infected person or use full precautions to prevent the condition in the first place.
• Some healthcare experts also believe that poor healthcare infrastructure, along with limited resources for infection control, may also cause the outbreak of the virus.

Most cases of Marburg virus disease are reported in African regions. If you are not living in any African Region, or you are not planning to visit during an outbreak, then you do not have to worry about anything.

Healthcare experts don’t know the exact origin of the Marburg virus. 

Most healthcare experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States, believe that the origin of the Marburg virus is associated with fruit bats as they have been playing major roles since the first outbreak of the virus.

For more information on the virus, we highly recommend you consult with your healthcare provider. 

If you are not living in Africa or don’t have any plans to visit Africa in the upcoming months, then you do not have to worry about anything as the United States has not recorded any case of Marburg virus disease in recent years.

What is the Treatment for Marburg Virus Disease?

As the disease is pretty rare and it usually spreads in countries where they don’t have good healthcare infrastructure, it’s not surprising that the treatment of the Marburg virus is not as good as you might think.

Till now, there is no specific treatment available for Marburg virus disease. Prevention is the best thing you can do to ensure your safety.

It is a serious disease, and healthcare experts believe that early diagnosis of the condition can help you in improving your chances of survival. Major complications are a huge part of the Marburg virus disease.

Your healthcare expert Is going to focus on maintaining the symptoms using different combinations. We highly recommend everyone rely on their healthcare provider for the treatment of Marburg virus disease.

• Supportive care is going to be one of the biggest weapons in the treatment of Marburg virus disease. Your healthcare expert will try to keep your oxygen and blood pressure levels at a normal rate using different techniques.
• Apart from that, strict infection prevention and control measures might also help you prevent the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of your loved ones.
• Specific medicine is also a huge part of the treatment of Marburg virus disease. Your healthcare expert is going to use different medicine to control the symptoms of the virus, including nausea, vomiting, pain, and fever.

Apart from that, there are not many treatment options available in the world. Your healthcare expert might also rely on experimental treatments, which may include some experimental drugs.

The chances of survival after getting diagnosed with Marburg virus disease are higher if it gets diagnosed as early as possible.

If you have been to a place where a new outbreak of Marburg virus disease was reported, we highly recommend you consult with your healthcare provider and try to get as much help as possible.

Early diagnosis is highly important, and if you are experiencing any symptoms associated with the condition after visiting a place where the new outbreak was reported.

If any of your family members or friends visited a place where a new outbreak of the virus was reported, do not get in touch with them directly and try to ensure your safety.