Marburg virus disease (MVD), also known as Marburg Hemorrhagic fever, is a rare but severe viral hemorrhagic fever, and the clinical presentation is like that of Ebola virus disease (EVD). MVD have a case fatality of up to 88% in past outbreaks depending on virus strain and case management. The reservoir host for the virus is the African fruit bats, mostly seen in caves and mines.
The incubation period for MVD is 2-21 days, and people can get MVD through contact with the blood and bodily fluids of a sick or dead person infected with the Marburg virus. Prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by the Rousettus (fruit) bat is another source of infection.
Information for UN Staff
Information for UN Healthcare workers
- WHO Case Definition Recommendation for MVD here
- WHO Clinical management of MVD here
- WHO technical resources on MVD here
- WHO safe blood sample collection from patient suspected to be infected with MVD here
- WHO standard precautions in healthcare settings here
- WHO’s Posters on MVD PPE Donning and Doffing here