Deadly Marburg Virus Discovered in African Fruit Bats

In a recently published paper, a group on international scientists has detected the presence of a dangerous virus known as the Marburg virus. The highly lethal virus was found a common species of African fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus).

The study, led by Dr. Towner, has shown for the first time the existence Marburg infection in a specific bat species in Africa. Serological and gene testing technologies have been used to provide evidence of the existence of this virus on this common species of fruit bat.

The disease caused by this virus is lethal in 80-90% of the cases and no cure and or vaccine in known or available at this time. The Marburg virus is related to the Ebola virus and is responsible for many deaths of humans and apes in Africa.

The paper reports detection of viral RNA from four out of 283 Rousettus aegyptiacus bats in a collection of over 1100 bats tested, representing 10 species. All bats were trapped near caves in 2005 and 2006 in Gabon and the Republic of Congo. The other bat species did not have the virus or antibodies for the virus. Only Rousettus aegyptiacus bats were infected by the deadly virus.

The Marburg virus is the agent that causes the Marburg hemorrhagic fever. The disease and virus are similar to the Ebola and originate in some endemic parts of Africa (Uganda and Eastern Congo).

Once there has been an outbreak, the disease is spread through body fluids, including blood, excrement, saliva, and vomit. Early symptoms are often non-specific, and usually include fever, headache and myalgia after an incubation period of 3-9 days. Usually, the disease is misdiagnosed for another one such as malaria.

Additional symptoms may be include inflammation or secondary infection of various organs, including: orchitis (testicles), hepatitis (liver), transverse myelitis (spinal cord), uveitis (eyes), or parotitis (salivary glands).