Ghana declares first outbreak of deadly Marburg virus

Tags: National News

Ghana has officially confirmed two cases of Marburg virus, a highly contagious disease similar to Ebola.

What is Marburg Virus Disease?

• According to the World Health Organization, Marburg is a highly contagious viral disease that leads to hemorrhagic fever, with a mortality rate of up to 88%.

• Marburg is as deadly as Ebola and no suitable drug or vaccine has yet been discovered to treat and prevent the disease.

• Outbreaks of this disease have been reported in many African countries in the past, including Kenya, Congo, Angola, South Africa, and Uganda. 

• These outbreaks have also resulted in a large number of deaths, most of which have occurred in southern and eastern Africa.

Symptoms of Disease

• High fever, severe headache, muscle pain, abdominal pain, and cramping. 

• Nausea and vomiting may also begin on the third day after infection.

Transmission 

• Human infection initially results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies.

• Once a human has been infected with Marburg virus, it can be spread to others through direct contact with their blood, secretions or other bodily fluids.

• Another route of transmission may be through sexual contact.

• This virus is secreted in our body fluids such as saliva, sweat, nasal secretions and semen.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 

• Antigen detection tests, 

• Serum neutralization tests, 

• Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, 

• Virus isolation by cell culture.

• There is no specific treatment for Marburg virus disease yet.