A REVIEW ON MARBURG VIRUS: EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, ADVANCES IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Rounak Chahal*, Dinesh Kumar, Deepanjeet Kaur, Navdeep Singh and Mohammad Zulfiqar Ali

ABSTRACT

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a severe and often fatal viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus (MARV), a member of the Filoviridae family, closely related to the Ebola virus. First discovered in 1967 during outbreaks in Germany and Yugoslavia, MVD is a zoonotic disease with the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) identified as its natural reservoir. Human infection occurs through contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials, and outbreaks are often worsened by inadequate infection control, particularly in healthcare and burial settings. MVD typically begins with nonspecific symptoms such as fever and malaise, rapidly progressing to hemorrhage, multi-organ failure, and potentially death, with case fatality rates between 24% and 88%. The virus has a filamentous structure and a negative-sense RNA genome that encodes seven proteins essential for replication and pathogenesis. Diagnostic methods primarily include RT-PCR, with emerging CRISPR-based tools offering rapid detection. Although no licensed vaccines or treatments exist, candidates like rVSV-vectored vaccines, mRNA vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and antivirals such as remdesivir are under development. Recent outbreaks in new geographic areas, including West and East Africa, underscore the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, faster diagnostics, and effective vaccines to mitigate the global health threat posed by MVD.

Keywords: Marburg virus disease (MVD), Filoviridae, Zoonotic transmission, Hemorrhagic fever, Molecular diagnostics, Vaccine development.