Rise of Marburg virus in Africa: a call for global preparedness

Abstract

The Marburg virus disease (MVD) is caused by a rare RNA virus that can result in severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates. The disease was first discovered in 1967 in Marburg Frankfurt in Germany and since then, sporadic cases have been reported in southeastern Africa. The Egyptian fruit bat is considered a reservoir for the virus, which can be transmitted through direct contact with infected bat or monkey tissue, bodily fluids, or contaminated objects. The Marburg virus disease shares clinical features with the Ebola virus disease, and there are no widely accepted vaccines or antiviral medications to treat it. The article provides an overview of Marburg virus (MARV) outbreaks in Africa, including the most recent outbreaks in Guinea, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and Tanzania. The authors discuss the recent outbreaks and the implications of the spread of MARV to Africa’s healthcare systems. The authors also present key recommendations for both multicountry and global preparedness efforts in order to better prevent and respond to future MARV outbreaks and other viruses with an epidemic potential.