EXPLANATOR
As cases have been reported in Ghana, here is a look at the disease, its symptoms and how to prevent it.
Ghana health authorities have officially confirmed two cases of highly infectious Marburg virus in the country, after two people after two people who later died, tested positive for the virus on July 10th.
A total of 98 people identified as contact cases are currently in quarantine, said the Ghana Health Service, which noted that no other Marburg cases had yet been detected in the country.
In Africa, previous outbreaks have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda. Other outbreaks have also been reported in Europe and the United States.
This is what we know about the disease.
What is Marburg virus disease (MVD)?
According to the CDC, Marburg virus disease is a severe hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus.
First identified in 1967 in Germany and what was then Yugoslavia after research on imported African green monkeys, the Marburg virus is from the same family as Ebola.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infection with viral disease “initially results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by colonies of Rousettus bats.”
Once an individual has become infected, the disease can spread through person-to-person transmission, and this can go through direct contact with the blood, organs, or other body fluids of infected people and through surfaces and materials that they are already contaminated with these fluids. .
What are the symptoms?
The disease caused by the virus begins abruptly and, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), after an incubation period of two to 21 days, the symptoms are marked by:
- Fever
- Shivers
- Muscle aches and pains
The CDC said a more prominent rash on the chest, back and stomach may occur after the onset of symptoms.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- A sore throat
- A stomachache
- And diarrhea can also appear.
The WHO says patients can develop severe bleeding manifestations in seven days and that fatal cases usually have bleeding, often from multiple areas.
During the severe phase, patients show sustained high fevers. The patient may also show confusion, irritability, and aggression.
In fatal cases, death can occur between 8 and 9 days after onset, usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock, the WHO said.
Mortality rates have ranged from 24 to 88 percent in past outbreaks, depending on the strain of the virus and case management.
The virus is also known to persist in some people who have recovered and can be found in the testicles and inside the eye. In women who may have been infected during pregnancy, the virus may persist in the placenta and fetus.
How can it be treated?
According to the WHO, no proven cure is available for MVD. However, there is supportive care and treatment of specific symptoms.
Supportive care includes rehydration with oral and intravenous fluids, and a number of potential treatments are currently being evaluated, including blood products, immunotherapies, and pharmacological therapies.
Samples collected from patients are considered an “extreme risk of biological risk” and laboratory tests “should be performed under the highest conditions of biological containment.”
Is there any way to prevent infection?
According to GAVI, to prevent infection, “extremely strict infection control measures” are needed to prevent people from coming into contact with each other.
Avoiding eating or handling bush meat is also important to prevent the spread of animals, and raising awareness among communities and health care workers is critical, as this can lead to better precautions against the spread.
The WHO also advises male survivors to practice safe sex and hygiene for 12 months from the onset of symptoms or until the semen is negative for the virus.
And for health workers, the WHO recommends that they wear appropriate gloves and personal protective equipment when caring for patients.
The WHO has also recommended precautionary measures on pig farms to prevent them from becoming infected by contact with fruit bats. The UN agency said they may be potential hosts for amplifiers during outbreaks.