What You Need to Know about Deadly Marburg Virus Disease

There are many threats faced by mankind in the 21st century, but the most serious threat to human existence is highly infectious and highly lethal viruses. Marburg virus is one of them. So what is it? And what’s the symptom and treatment of it?

Bats are one of the largest virus reservoirs in nature. Due to their own physiological characteristics and special immune system, bats show strong tolerance to most viruses, so they are the natural hosts of many viruses. Scientists have found more than 4100 viruses in nearly 200 species of bats.

For example, in January 2020, Nature Communications published a paper on the natural host of Marburg virus (MARV) entitled Isolation of Angola-like Marburg virus from Egyptian rousette bats from West Africa, which shows that Egyptian fruit bats (also known as Egyptian rousette bats) are the natural host of Marburg virus (MARV).

Fruit bats feeding on fruits are the largest bats, and some species have wings as long as 2 meters. They are mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Marburg virus (MARV) can cause Marburg hemorrhagic fever (Marburg HF). It was first discovered in Marburg, Germany, hence the name. It is also called the sister of Ebola virus and belongs to Filoviridae. Filoviruses, including Ebola virus, Marburg virus, etc., are highly infectious and are extremely harmful to humans.

Both Marburg virus and Ebola virus originated in Africa and spread to humans through animals, but the ultimate source of these viruses is still unknown. After Marburg viruses infect human body, they will rapidly spread and multiply in the body, attack multiple organs, cause deformation and necrosis. The patient infected will first suffer from internal bleeding, and then the facial organs bleed continuously. The patient may vomit the necrotic tissue of the internal organs out of the mouth, and finally die because of extensive internal bleeding, brain damage and other reasons.

There are 12 known outbreaks of Marburg virus, the most recent is in Uganda, Africa in 2017. In 2005, the largest Marburg virus outbreak on record occurred in Angola, Africa, with 227 deaths out of 252 known cases. Among all major virus outbreaks including the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa in 2013-2016, this one is with the highest fatality rate as high as 90%.

Egyptian fruit bats living in caves are the main natural virus reservoir of Marburg virus. Research speculates that Egyptian fruit bats delivered Marburg virus to local miners in Africa through excrement or saliva. Marburg virus entered human society and eventually lead to the outbreak of Marburg haemorrhagic fever.

"Currently, no drug or vaccine can be directly used to treat Marburg virus disease, but global scientists are trying their best to develop an effective one. Recently, scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have discovered an antibody called MR191 that can neutralize Marburg virus." Said an expert at Creative Diagnostics, a leading CRO focusing on Zika virus, Alpha virus and Marburg virus antigens as well as related research services.

The bat is like a Pandora's box full of various viruses. Some people may think that if no drug can protect us, wouldn't it be better to eliminate the bat?

A recent example is that Uganda, Africa wiped out about 100,000 bats in a gold mine. A few years later, the bats returned. The proportion of newly arrived bats carrying the Marburg virus doubled. Then, there was an outbreak here, which is the largest Marburg haemorrhagic fever outbreak in Uganda’s history.

Facts have proved that this simple but rude way to eliminate bats is not only useless, but may lead to a more serious virus epidemic. What's more, bats play a very important role in the ecological environment. Therefore, eliminating bats can only increase human health risks, and the best way for us to protect ourselves for now is to stay away from wild animals such as bats.

Thomas Schmitt: Working at a biotechnology company for over 10 years and writing to share the latest technology for over 5 years.