Past and current advances in Marburg virus disease: a review

Marburg Virus (MARV), along with the Ebola virus, belongs to the family of Filovirus and is cause of a lethal and severely affecting hemorrhagic fever. The Marburgvirus genus includes two viruses: MARV and Ravn. MARV has been recognized as one of utmost importance by the World Health Organization (WHO). The case fatality rate of the virus ranges from 24.0 to 88.0% which demonstrates its lethal nature and the need for its widespread information. The first case of the Marburgvirus disease (MARD) was reported in 1967 when lab personnel working with African green monkeys got infected in Germany and Serbia simultaneously. Following the initial case, many more outbreaks occurred around the world such as Uganda, Angola, Congo, Kenya and even in the United States in 2008. It was soon found out that the MARV was a zoonotic virus and mainly contracted from animal-to-human contact and further transmitted via human-to-human contact. The Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) is known to be one of the significant sources of the infection and tourists visiting caves inhabited by these bats or workers accessing mines, populated by the bats, are at an increased risk of contracting the illness. The incubation period ranges from 2-21 days and the clinical outcome can be broken down into three phases: initial generalized phase (day 1-4), early organ phase (day 5 to 13) and either a late organ/convalescence phase (day 13 onwards). Furthermore, the treatment of MARD is solely based on supportive care. Much has been investigated in over the past half-century of the initial infection but only a few treatment options show promising results. In addition, special precaution is advised whilst handling the patient or the biospecimens. Disease-modifying agents and inhibitors of viral replications show constructive outcomes. It is crucial to identify the host of the virus and educate the populations that are greatly at risk of the disease. While much is being investigated to devise a vaccine, it is important to educate Health Care Workers (HCWs) and close contacts facing the illness. Stopping the transmission remains the best measure that can be taken.