Marburg virus disease

Marburg virus disease is an acute viral illness caused by Marburg virus, which belongs to the family Filoviridae and is grouped with other severe hemorrhagic fever viruses ^[1]. The Marburgvirus genus is described in the sources as including two viruses, MARV and Ravn ^[1]. Source-backed details on formal case definitions or subtype-specific clinical distinctions are not yet available from the provided material ^[2][1].

The sources characterize Marburg virus disease as a severe hemorrhagic fever with lethal potential ^[1]. One review describes a clinical course that can be divided into an initial generalized phase, an early organ phase, and a late organ or convalescent phase, with incubation reported as 2 to 21 days ^[1]. The systematic review literature also highlights that natural-history estimates are limited, indicating that some clinical parameterization remains uncertain ^[2]. The provided snippets do not supply a full symptom list or complication profile, so those details are not yet source-backed ^[2][1].

Historical outbreaks are reported from multiple settings, including Germany and Serbia in 1967, and later outbreaks in Uganda, Angola, Congo, Kenya, and the United States in 2008 ^[1]. A 2024 systematic review identified 478 reported cases and 385 deaths in the literature it analyzed, and estimated an unadjusted pooled case fatality ratio of 61.9% ^[2]. The 2023 outbreaks in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are specifically noted as prompting renewed attention to the disease ^[2]. The sources also suggest that undetected outbreaks, asymptomatic transmission, or serologic cross-reactivity may partly explain observed patterns, but this remains uncertain ^[2].

The disease is described as zoonotic, with transmission initially occurring through animal-to-human exposure and then through human-to-human spread ^[1]. The Egyptian fruit bat is identified as an important source or reservoir in the provided material, and exposure in caves or mines inhabited by these bats is noted as a risk context ^[1]. A transmission-risk review found that direct contact with a case was important, while many forms of casual contact during incubation or early illness were unlikely to transmit infection ^[3]. The sources further associate caregiving, especially near death, and participation in traditional funeral rites with acquisition of disease ^[3].

The sources explicitly identify laboratory personnel exposed to infected African green monkeys in the first recognized outbreak, as well as people entering caves or mines inhabited by Egyptian fruit bats, as higher-risk exposure groups ^[1]. They also indicate increased risk among caregivers and those participating in traditional funeral rites when caring for or handling cases ^[3]. Beyond these exposure-linked groups, source-backed detail on additional high-risk populations is not yet available ^[2][1][3].

Source-backed prevention information is limited, but the provided literature supports exposure avoidance around known animal sources, including bats inhabiting caves or mines ^[1]. The transmission review indicates that reducing direct contact with cases and limiting exposure during caregiving and funeral practices are important control considerations ^[3]. The snippets do not provide a verified vaccine schedule or a detailed prevention package, and those specifics are not yet available from the source boundary ^[2][1][3].

For surveillance purposes, Marburg virus disease should be interpreted as a high-consequence filoviral hemorrhagic fever with historically sparse parameter estimates and a substantial evidence gap around transmission and natural history ^[2]. The literature indicates that outbreaks may be underdetected and that serologic findings can be complicated by possible asymptomatic transmission or cross-reactivity with other pathogens ^[2]. Monitoring should therefore emphasize outbreak context, exposure history, and careful interpretation of fatality estimates rather than assuming complete ascertainment from available counts ^[2][1].

1. 1 Asad A et al. Past and current advances in Marburg virus disease: a review. Infez Med. 2020 Sep 1. PMID: 32920568. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32920568/
2. 2 Cuomo-Dannenburg G et al. Marburg virus disease outbreaks, mathematical models, and disease parameters: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024 May. PMID: 38040006. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00515-7. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38040006/
3. 3 Marburg Virus Disease. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research. 2022. doi: 10.47583/ijpsrr.2022.v72i02.010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47583/ijpsrr.2022.v72i02.010
4. 4 Brainard J et al. Risk factors for transmission of Ebola or Marburg virus disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Epidemiol. 2016 Feb. PMID: 26589246. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyv307. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26589246/
5. 5 Marburg Virus Disease. Definitions. 2020. doi: 10.32388/zi1nsa. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32388/zi1nsa
6. 6 Marburg Virus Disease. Encyclopedia of Public Health. 2008. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_2064. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_2064

ICD-10

A98.3

ICD-11

1D60.1

Total cases

0

Peak month

2005-01

Coverage

1 reporting countries · 2005-01-01 → 2026-06-01