Marburg Virus Outbreak in Rwanda

[nelson]

 All You Need To Know.

Outbreak of the Marburg virus in Rwanda has resulted in a high percentage of health concerns. As reported, late September 2024 saw six fatalities and 26 confirmed cases, most of which happened in the eastern province of Kirehe.

The beginning of this outbreak had been linked to the interaction with Rousettus bats, which were virus carriers.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Marbug virus disease usually start abruptly, and begin with high fever, very severe headache, along with malaise, which are rapidly followed by more grave signs, including watery diarrhea, hemorrhagic manifestations within one week.

 Mode Transmission

The disease may be transmitted through direct contact with an infected individual's bodily fluids thus making control measures important.

The Rwandan government is working hand in hand with the World Health Organization in making containment effective through improved surveillance and public awareness. It is recommended that healthcare providers should be vigilant and report all cases that show suspicions for the outbreak to have an effective control of the disease.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of the Marburg virus disease could be cumbersome as it presents symptoms of a large number of other tropical infections like malaria, typhoid fever, and dengue. Confirmation of the infection would necessitate several laboratory tests, including RT-PCR assays and antibody detection techniques such as ELISA. However, these must be performed under maximum containment conditions since handling patient samples can be highly biohazardous.

Possible Treatment

Presently, there is no recognized antiviral treatment specific for Marburg virus disease. Supportive care, however, significantly improves survival. Based on symptoms, treatment addresses the following areas among others:

Rehydration Therapy: Oral or intravenous fluids used to help with dehydration resulting from diarrhea and vomiting.

Electrolyte Balance: Maintenance of electrolytes supports different body functions.

Blood Transfusions: There may be a need for blood transfusion especially when one loses a lot of blood.

Oxygen Support: Administration of oxygen may be necessary for some in order to assist respiration.

Pain Management: Severe headache and muscle pain can be soothed using analgesics.

The use of immune therapies like monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs are still under evaluation.

Others include the experimental treatment of using convalescent plasma extracted from survivors while other experimental treatments using remdesivir against MVD are also being studied.

 

Edited Monday at 03:04 PM by nelson