Marburg virus: what it is, symptoms, transmission and treatment

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Marburg disease, also known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever or just Marburg virus, is a very rare disease that causes a very high fever, muscle pain, and in some cases, bleeding in various parts of the body, such as the gums, eyes, or nose. .

This disease is more common in places where there are Rousettus bats and, therefore, is more frequent in African and South Asian countries. However, the infection can easily pass from one person to another through contact with the sick person's secretions, such as blood, saliva, and other bodily fluids.

Being part of the filovirus family, having high mortality and having the same forms of transmission, the Marburg virus is often compared to the Ebola virus.

Symptoms of Marburg's Disease

Symptoms of Marburg fever usually come on suddenly and include:

  • High fever, above 38º C;
  • Severe headache;
  • Muscle aches and general malaise;
  • Persistent diarrhea;
  • Abdominal pain;
  • frequent cramps;
  • Nausea and vomiting;
  • Confusion, aggression and easy irritability;
  • Extreme tiredness.

Many people infected with Marburg virus may also experience bleeding in various parts of the body 5 to 7 days after symptoms begin. The most common places for bleeding are the eyes, gums and nose, but it can also happen to have red spots or cracks on the skin, as well as blood in the stool or vomit.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The symptoms caused by Marburg fever are similar to other viral illnesses. Therefore, the best way to confirm the diagnosis is to do blood tests to identify specific antibodies, in addition to analyzing some secretions in the laboratory.

How does the transmission happen?

Originally, the Marburg virus passes to humans through exposure to places inhabited by Rousettus bats. However, after contamination, the virus can pass from one person to another through contact with bodily fluids such as blood or saliva.

Thus, it is very important that the infected person remains isolated, avoiding going to public places, where he can contaminate others. In addition, you should wear a protective mask and wash your hands often, to avoid passing the virus to surfaces.

Transmission can continue until the virus has been completely eliminated from the blood, that is, care must be taken until treatment ends and the doctor confirms that the test result no longer shows signs of infection.

Treatment for Marburg's disease

There is no specific treatment for Marburg's disease, and it must be adapted to each person, in order to alleviate the symptoms presented. However, almost all cases require rehydration, and it may be necessary to stay in the hospital to receive saline directly into the vein, in addition to medication to reduce discomfort.

In some cases, blood transfusions may even be necessary to facilitate the clotting process, preventing bleeding caused by the disease.