A deadly virus, which is related to the Ebola virus, has been found in Guinea. This new strain of Marburg disease was first reported last week and shows that there are still pathogens out on the field that we have yet to discover or identify. Experts say this discovery could lead us closer towards finding a cure for these devastating viruses by providing more information about their origins and evolution over time
A lethal cousin of Ebola called “Marburg” has recently emerged from its slumber as it’s now recorded with being present in Guinea-the country where past outbreaks occurred back 2003 when people were infected after contact with wild animals including monkeys who had eaten palm fruit contaminated by animal urine at an African farm near Lake Victoria-according to WHO reports. The latest
The Marburg virus is named for the German city where it was first identified in 1967, after workers there had been infected with green monkeys imported from Uganda. Two other outbreaks occurred at this time: one in Frankfurt and another in Belgrade (then Yugoslavia). Notably, seven people died during these three incidents of infection.
The African fruit bat is the only natural host for Marburg, but cave-dwelling mammals such as bats can carry and transmit it to primates. One suspected mode of transmission is when humans hunt or butcher infected animals.
The life-threatening infection is often spread through human contact with blood or fluids. It can also be transmitted by coming into contact with surfaces contaminated by these substances, such as bedding and clothing. Many accidents have happened in the lab when one person came down sick from an illness that was then passed to other people who were working there without their knowledge of being infected.
The symptoms
The Marburg virus can be difficult to diagnose because it shares many of the same symptoms as typhoid and malaria. Symptoms include high fever, a severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea. These are just some of what you might experience when infected with this rare disease that causes bleeding from nose gums or even your vagina! Even though death is most likely within 8-9 days after being diagnosed if not treated properly early on; there’s still hope for those who make it past 18 days since symptoms have subsided enough to allow treatment without risk before 21 day incubation period has passed
The treatment
There is no treatment for Marburg disease. However, those who are infected can improve their survival rate if they rehydrate with either oral or intravenous techniques and experimental use of monoclonal antibody drugs has been promising so far. This is why it’s important to eradicate the virus from the beginning according to experts
“You have to step up surveillance, identify all contact cases in order to isolate them if they start developing the disease, to prevent any transmission,” said Ousmane Faye, a virologist at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, the capital of Senegal
Other outbreaks
The first case of Ebola in Guinea was detected and reported on August 2, 2014. The patient is a man who died on July 25 after developing symptoms two days earlier. There are three high-risk cases identified so far: the man’s relatives (three) and one health care worker at his hospital that treated him before he succumbed to the virus. Close monitoring has been imposed for 150 other people considered contactees as well since they have come into close proximity with this disease carrier during their stay with him or exposure to bodily fluids from others infected by him via direct physical contacts while treating those patients suffering from Ebola fever caused by an ebola virus which can be transmitted through air droplets when these carriers coughs or sneezes
Previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been recorded in South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The deadliest epidemic so far occurred in northern Angola in 2005, in which 329 patients out of 374 died
Guinea is one of the poorest countries in West Africa, and has been hit by two Ebola epidemics since 2013. The first epidemic was considered to be the largest ever outbreak with 11,300 fatalities before it ended in 2016. This year there were 12 cases that have now passed away from a second wave of infection.
