9 people died of the Marburg virus, in eastern Equatorial Guinea, and the authorities imposed a quarantine in one of the provinces to contain the epidemic, according to what the Minister of Health announced on Monday, so what do you know about this disease?
And what happens to a Marburg virus patient from day one until recovery or death?
What is Marburg hemorrhagic fever?
A severe and deadly disease caused by a virus of the same family as the virus that causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever, according to the World Health Organization.
form of Marburg virus
It appears under an electron microscope in the form of extended filaments that sometimes twist to form foreign bodies.
How is Marburg virus transmitted?
It is transmitted to humans by "fruit bats", and it is not an airborne disease.
As for between humans, it spreads quickly through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people such as blood, saliva or urine, as well as on surfaces and materials.
The relatives of the infected person and workers in health institutions are more at risk of infection, along with the sick.
Is Marburg virus transmitted through dead bodies and during burial?
Corpses can still be infected with Marburg virus even at burial.
The World Health Organization says that burial ceremonies that involve direct contact with the body of the deceased can also contribute to the transmission of infection.
People remain contagious as long as their blood contains the virus.
What are the symptoms of Marburg virus?
Symptoms of the onset of Marburg disease
The disease caused by the Marburg virus begins suddenly with a severe headache and severe malaise.
It is also common symptoms of muscle aches and pains.
The first day of infection
High fever, followed by gradual and rapid weakness.
The third day of infection
The patient presents with severe watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea can last a whole week.
The third to fifth day of infection
Many patients with Marburg virus show severe hemorrhagic symptoms during this period.
The patient often vomits and stools are accompanied by blood, and he may suffer from bleeding from the nose, gums or vagina.
High fever is also a symptom, and infection of the central nervous system may lead to agitation and aggression.
On the fifth day, a non-itchy rash may appear on the chest, back or abdomen, according to a report in the Washington Post.
Eighth to ninth day of infection
In fatal cases, death occurs during this period after the onset of symptoms.
The Washington Post report says that in general death is preceded by severe bleeding and blood loss, in addition to dysfunction in many organs.
Specialists estimate the average death rate for Marburg virus patients to be around 50%.
And death rates vary according to cases, from 24% to 88% in previous outbreaks, depending on the strain of the virus and the management of the diseased condition of the infected person, according to the World Health Organization.
In some cases, cases of orchitis are reported in the late stages of the disease, ie on the 15th day.
When did Marburg virus appear?
For the first time, Marburg hemorrhagic fever was detected following its successive outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, and in Belgrade, the former Yugoslavia.
The first cases were recorded among laboratory workers who dealt with species of African monkeys imported from Uganda.
At the beginning, 25 cases of infection were recorded, 7 of which led to death, and later 6 cases were recorded, none of which led to death.
The Marburg patient and the "zombie/ghost" likeness
It is said that the patient appears in the stage of the third to the fifth day of infection, features similar to "features of a ghost", in addition to deep eyes and an expressionless face, and suffers from severe lethargy, according to the WHO.
Therefore, some describe the infected person as looking like a ghost or a zombie.
Marburg virus treatment
There is no specific treatment to combat this disease, and the management of the patient's condition includes providing medical support for him.