Marburg virus

For the genus, see Marburgvirus.
Marburg virus
Transmission electron micrograph of Marburg virus
Transmission electron micrograph of Marburg virus
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Negarnaviricota
Class: Monjiviricetes
Order: Mononegavirales
Family: Filoviridae
Genus: Marburgvirus
Species:
Marburg marburgvirus
Virus:
Marburg virus

Marburg virus (MARV) is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Filoviridae family of viruses and a member of the species Marburg marburgvirus, genus Marburgvirus.[1] It causes Marburg virus disease in primates, a form of viral hemorrhagic fever.[2] The World Health Organization (WHO) rates it as a Risk Group 4 Pathogen (requiring biosafety level 4-equivalent containment).[3] In the United States, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ranks it as a Category A Priority Pathogen[4] and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists it as a Category A Bioterrorism Agent.[5] It is also listed as a biological agent for export control by the Australia Group.[6]

The virus can be transmitted by exposure to one species of fruit bats or it can be transmitted between people via body fluids through unprotected sex and broken skin. The disease can cause haemorrhage, fever, and other symptoms similar to Ebola, which belongs to the same family of viruses. According to the WHO, there are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatment for Marburg, but early, professional treatment of symptoms like dehydration considerably increases survival chances.[7]

In 2009, expanded clinical trials of an Ebola and Marburg vaccine began in Kampala, Uganda.[8][9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference KuhnArch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Spickler A. "Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus Infections" (PDF).
  3. ^ US Department of Health and Human Services. "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 5th Edition". Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  4. ^ "Biodefense Category A, B, C Pathogens, NIAID, NIH". Archived from the original on 2011-10-22. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  5. ^ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases". Archived from the original on 2014-07-22. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  6. ^ The Australia Group. "List of Biological Agents for Export Control". Archived from the original on 2011-08-06. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  7. ^ Marburg virus disease Fact sheet Updated October 2017 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs_marburg/en/
  8. ^ Beth Skwarecki Ebola, Marburg DNA Vaccines Prove Safe in Phase 1 Trial Medscape Medical News, September 17, 2014
  9. ^ Evaluating an Ebola and a Marburg Vaccine in Uganda U.S. Department of Health & Human Services