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Transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Marburg virus. Marburg virus, first recognized in … [+]
Eight people have been killed in a suspected outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus disease in Tanzania’s Kagera region, the report said. World Health Organisation.
Nine cases have been reported in two districts in Kagera, including among some health workers. Officials, who are still searching for the original source of the outbreak, expect more cases to be identified.
Last fall, Rwanda saw a separate outbreak of the disease, which is similar to Ebola. More than 60 people were infected and at least 15 had died by the end of November.
The WHO considers the regional risk of Marburg virus disease to be high because Kagera is a transport hub. Officials are concerned that the disease could spread to nearby countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
But the global risk of the disease is currently low. The disease does not spread easily between people and there is no evidence that the disease has crossed any international borders.
No one has ever caught Marburg in the US, but one case has imported from Uganda in 2008. A 44-year-old woman became ill after visiting the country for a two-week safari during which she visited a cave where bats reside. She did not spread the disease to anyone else, and no other member of her traveling party tested positive for the virus.
That same year, a 40-year-old Dutch tourist also developed Marburg virus after visiting the cave.
What is the Marburg virus?
Marburg is a rare but serious disease that causes fever and bleeding disorders. It is linked to Ebola, which is estimated to have infected 28,000 people and killed 11,000 in a outbreak in 2014 and 2015.
It causes symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, rash, sore throat, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Signs of Marburg virus disease usually appear between two and twelve days after exposure. They can progress to much more serious symptoms, including shock, delirium, hemorrhage, liver failure, and multi-organ dysfunction.
How does Marburg virus disease spread?
The disease is spread by the Marburg virus, which is found in the urine, saliva and feces of Egyptian rousette bats. The virus can spread to humans through contact with these substances.
Once a person becomes infected, they can transmit the virus to others through their own bodily fluids.
It can also infect non-human primates such as monkeys and apes. In fact, the Marburg virus is named after a town in Germany where monkeys spread the disease to humans decades ago. Scientists contracted the disease in 1967 from monkeys they used in research.
How to protect against Marburg virus
Because Marburg spreads through infected body fluids, it is important to avoid contact with the blood and other fluids of people who are sick or have died. This also includes handling objects that may be contaminated with their fluids.
Even if someone has recovered, the CDC recommends avoiding contact with the semen until tests show that the semen no longer contains the virus.
People in areas with Marburg virus should avoid Egyptian rousette bats and non-human primates.