Marburg hemorrhagic fever

Filoviruses (Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Marburg hemorrhagic fever)... 

Machupo Hemorrhagic Fever Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever Melioidosis... 

Geisbert TW, Jaax NK. Marburg hemorrhagic fever report of a case studied by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Ultrastruct Pathol. 1998 22 3-17. 

After the initial outbreaks, the virus disappeared. It did not reemerge until 1975. when a traveler, most likely exposed in Zimbabwe, became ill in Johannesburg, South Africa. The viru.s was transmitted there to his traveling companion and a nurse. A few sporadic cases of Marburg hemorrhagic fever have been identified since that time. 

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a rare, severe type of hemorrhagic fever which affects both humans and non-human primates. Caused by a genetically unique zoonotic (that is, aniinal-bome) RNA virus of the filovirus family, its recognition led to the creation of this virus family. The four species of Ebola virus are the only other known members of the filovirus family. 

Where do cases of Marburg hemorrhagic fever occur ... 

Just how the animal host first transmits Marburg virus to humans is unknown. However, as with some other viruses which cau.se viral hemorrhagic fever, humans who become ill with Marburg hemorrhagic fever may spread the virus to other people. This may happen in several ways. Persons who have handled infected monkeys and have come in direct contact with their fluids or cell cultures, have become infected. Spread of the virus between humans has occurred in a setting of close contact, often in a hospital. Droplets of body fluids, or direct contact with persons, equipment, or ocher objects contaminated with infectious blood or tissues are all highly suspect as sources of disease. 

Because many of the signs and symptoms of Marburg hemorrhagic fever are similar to those of other infectious diseases, such as malaria or typhoid fever, diagnosis of the disease can be difficult, especially if only a single case is involved. 

Antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing, IgM-capture ELISA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and virus isolation can be used to confirm a case of Marburg hemorrhagic fever within a few days of the onset of symptoms. The IgG-capture ELISA is appropriate for testing persons later in the course of disease or after recovery. The disease is readily diagnosed by immunohistochemistry, virus isolation, or PCR of blood or tissue specimens from deceased patients. 

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