Marburg Virus Disease: Epidemiology, Transmission, and Global Health Implications
Article Sidebar
Page Numbers:
307-314
Digital Object Identifier:
10.58578/ajmsphr.v2i2.5816
Viewed: 142 times
Downloaded: 121 times
LYAS Publisher cordially invites qualified professionals to serve as Editors or Reviewers. Your expertise will make an important contribution to maintaining and strengthening the academic quality of our publications. Interested applicants are kindly requested to complete the application form at the following link: Editors & Reviewers
Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information about the submission process or if you have any additional questions.
Authors:
Muhammad Akram1, Abid Mahmood2, Isaac John Umaru3, Mohammed Khudhair Hasan4, Hind A. Abdulghafoor5, Fahad Said Khan6, Fethi Ahmet Ozdemir7, Gaweł Sołowski8, Jaouher Ben Ali9, Jehan Mohammad Al-Musawi10 
Copyright :
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
Main Article Content
Abstract
Marburg virus disease (MVD), a severe viral hemorrhagic fever, was first identified in 1967 following simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia. The initial cases were linked to laboratory exposure to African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) imported from Uganda for scientific research. Since then, sporadic cases and outbreaks have been reported across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Angola, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and, more recently, in West African countries such as Ghana. Human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals, as well as via contaminated materials like bedding and medical equipment. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, after which patients typically present with hemorrhagic manifestations, shock, and multiorgan failure. Currently, there is no approved antiviral treatment, and management is limited to supportive care, including fluid resuscitation, electrolyte balance, oxygen therapy, and treatment of secondary infections. Early diagnosis, case isolation, contact tracing, and stringent infection control measures are essential to containing outbreaks. Due to its high case-fatality rate, potential for epidemic spread, and lack of licensed therapeutics or vaccines, MVD is designated a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the context of increasing global attention to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, this review emphasizes the urgent need for investment in health system strengthening, improved diagnostic infrastructure, and the acceleration of vaccine and therapeutic development to mitigate future outbreaks.
Citation Metrics:
Article Details
References
Cunningham, A. L., Garçon, N., Leo, O., Friedland, L. R., Strugnell, R., Laupèze, B., Doherty, M., & Stern, P. (2016). Vaccine Development: From Concept to Early Clinical Testing. Vaccine, 34(52), 6655–6664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.10.077
De Graaf, M., Beck, R., Cacciò, S. M., Duim, B., Fraaij, P. L., Le Guyader, F. S., Lecuit, M., Le Pendu, J., De Wit, E., & Schultsz, C. (2017). Sustained Fecal-Oral Human-to-Human Transmission Following a Zoonotic Event. Current Opinion in Virology, 22, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2016.11.005
Holmes, E. C., & Drummond, A. J. (2007). The Evolutionary Genetics of Viral Emergence. In Wildlife and Emerging Zoonotic Diseases: The Biology, Circumstances and Consequences of Cross-Species Transmission (pp. 51–66). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70962-6_3
Lee, V. J., Ho, M., Kai, C. W., Aguilera, X., Heymann, D., & Wilder-Smith, A. (2020). Epidemic Preparedness in Urban Settings: New Challenges and Opportunities. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 20(5), 527–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30101-8
Paessler, S., & Walker, D. H. (2013). Pathogenesis of the Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease, 8(1), 411–440. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-pathol-020712-164041
Perrie, Y., Mohammed, A. R., Kirby, D. J., McNeil, S. E., & Bramwell, V. W. (2008). Vaccine Adjuvant Systems: Enhancing the Efficacy of Sub-Unit Protein Antigens. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 364(2), 272–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2008.08.002
Srivastava, S., Sharma, D., Kumar, S., Sharma, A., Rijal, R., Asija, A., Adhikari, S., Rustagi, S., Sah, S., Al-Qaim, Z. H., & Bashyal, P. (2023). Emergence of Marburg Virus: A Global Perspective on Fatal Outbreaks and Clinical Challenges. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, 1239079. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1239079