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Marburg Virus

Marburg virus infections, which are closely related to Ebola virus infections, may be highly infectious and rapidly fatal. Health care workers are at particularly high risk. The disease was first identified in 1967 after laboratory workers in Marburg, Germany became ill after handling infected monkeys imported from Uganda. Since that time, sporadic cases have been reported from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. A major outbreak was reported from Angola in 2004. A small outbreak was reported from western Uganda in July 2007.

Initial symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue and conjunctivitis, followed by sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. Complications may include excessive bleeding, dangerously low blood pressure, low platelets, liver impairment, and kidney failure. There is no treatment for Marburg fever except aggressive supportive measures, including intravenous fluids, transfusions as needed, etc. Suspected cases must be strictly isolated, including both respiratory and body fluid precautions. There is no vaccine for Marburg virus at present.

From the World Health Organization (WHO)

Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever

From the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Fact Sheet on Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

From the New England Journal of Medicine

H. Feldmann, "Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever — The Forgotten Cousin Strikes" (NEJM 2006; 355:866-869)

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