Marburg Virus Disease FAQs

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Marburg virus particles (teal) both budding and attached to the surface of an infected VERO E6 cell (gold). Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

NETEC’s Biocontainment Unit Workgroup has developed a downloadable FAQ template on Marburg virus disease (MVD). This template can be modified and updated by health care facilities for sharing among staff and other partners.

What is Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)?

MVD is a rare but severe viral hemorrhagic fever that affects people and non-human primates. It is caused by the Marburg virus, an RNA virus of the filovirus family. The Ebola virus species are the other known members of the filovirus family.

MVD typically appears sporadically throughout Africa and has been reported in Uganda, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Angola, and South Africa. In 2023, two countries, Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, reported their first outbreaks of MVD.

MVD diagnosis can be difficult as it has similar signs and symptoms as other viral hemorrhagic fevers (Lassa Fever, Ebola) and other infectious diseases (malaria, typhoid fever, or dengue).

How is MVD Transmitted?

The reservoir host of Marburg virus is the African fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus. Transmission of MVD from the African fruit bat to humans is thought to occur via unprotected contact with infected bat’s feces or aerosols. Transmission then occurs human-to-human through:

Direct contact with blood or body fluids (urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, semen) of a person who is sick with or died from MVD.
Objects (clothes, bedding, needles, medical equipment) contaminated with body fluids from a person with or who has died from MVD.
Semen from a man who recovered from MVD.

Current public health recommendations include strict contact isolation. Recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) is a disposable, fluid-resistant gown/coverall, double gloves (extended cuff on outer pair), fluid-resistant masks, eye protection, and fluid-resistant boot covers. A purified air-powered respirator (PAPR) or fit-tested respirator is recommended if aerosol-generating procedures are being performed.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of MVD?

The incubation period of MVD is 2-21 days. The symptoms of MVD are fever, chills, headache, and myalgia, and can have a sudden onset. Around the 5th day, a maculopapular rash (chest, back, stomach) may occur. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Symptoms can progress in severity to include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhaging, and multi-organ dysfunction.

Who Can Care for an MVD-Infected Patient?

Staff trained in the appropriate use of required PPE (gown/coverall, masks, PAPR/N95 respirator, eye protection) may care for these patients. Staff who have received training for care of a patient in a biocontainment unit may be best equipped to care for these patients in a biocontainment unit.

How Do You Treat MVD?

There is no specific treatment for Marburg virus disease. The treatment is supportive care. Experimental treatments have never been tried in humans.

Is There a Vaccine for MVD?

There is no vaccine for MVD. Several vaccines are in Phase 1 clinical studies.

Is it Safe to Return to my Home After Caring for a Patient with MVD?

There are no restrictions regarding returning to normal activities after caring for these patients as long as proper precautionary measures have been implemented. Staff who care for patients with MVD will need to participate in a monitoring period.

Can Patients Leave Their Rooms or be Transported to Other Departments for Care?

Patients with MVD should remain in their room for duration of care.

How Do I Clean Equipment After it is Used on a Patient with MVD?

Dedicated medical equipment (preferably disposable) should be used for patients with MVD. All non-dedicated, non-disposable equipment should be disinfected using an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant for use against Marburg virus: