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Marburg virus
disease, a severe, distinctive, hemorrhagic illness with a high rate
of mortality, is heralded early by severe sore throat, a maculopapular
rash, and a red exanthem on the hard and soft palate.
Later, severe,
generalized bleeding dominates the clinical course.
The disease was
first recognized in 1967 in
Marburg, Germany, and in
Yugoslavia among laboratory workers exposed to blood and tissues from
African green monkeys imported from Uganda. There have been subsequent
outbreaks in South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.Image
The Marburg and Ebola
viruses are interpreted as the first recognized viruses of the family,
the
Filoviridae.
Marburg
hemorrhagic fever has affected many fewer persons than Ebola virus.
Thus, the recent large outbreak that was declared over in November
2005 is of particular interest, especially since before this outbreak,
cases in children were rare, and in this outbreak, children account
for a high proportion of those affected.
Transmission of
these viruses occurs by direct contact with infected body fluids from
animals and humans, such as blood, saliva, vomitus, respiratory
droplets, urine and stool, and contact with virus-contaminated objects
(e.g. needles, syringes).
Persons who
prepare, cook, and eat contaminated animals may become infected.
Person-to-person
transmission occurs, as does infection from direct inoculation.
Transmission via semen may occur weeks after recovery.
It is extremely
important to use proper barrier nursing techniques to prevent
secondary cases of Ebola and Marburg virus hemorrhagic fevers to
caretakers and families, including use of standard, contact, and
airborne isolation precautions.
There is also
concern about use of the filoviruses as bioterror agents, especially
if the viruses could be modified to efficiently spread via aerosol
from person-to-person.
Visit:
Ebola Virus Disease ;
Lassa Fever.
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