Marburg Virus Disease: An Emerging Public Health Challenge

Abstract

Marburg Virus is a contagious virus belonging to the family Filoviridae, which is shared by Ebola Virus. It leads to a disease which is typically characterized by viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF). The infection can get systemic during the late organ phase, which eventually leads to multi-organ dysfunction, thereby making it a deadly disease. An important factor contributing to its tissue tropism is the Marburg Virus glycoprotein (MARV GP), while a host of nucleocapsid-associated as well as matrix-associated proteins contribute to its features of immune evasion and viral spread. Till now, all of the major outbreaks have been traced to African origins and efforts are being made to raise awareness regarding this emerging infectious disease. Prevention is dependent on early diagnosis or detection, which relies upon RT-PCR, Antigen ELISA, Antibody ELISA, etc., as well as protection against the natural reservoirs, the Egyptian fruit bat, and their droppings. Adequate protection and distancing from the infected vectors, the non-human primates (NHPs) is also crucial. This review discusses some key aspects of Marburg Virus and the disease that it causes, while also throwing light on prevention and control strategies, in the backdrop of the recent outbreak in Ghana. The review concludes by drawing a parallel between MARV and other bat-borne as well as RNA viruses, integrated with the selection pressure on this virus to delineate the potentiality of a future large-scale outbreak of MVD.