Marburg Outbreak! Can Rapid Response Minimize Mortality and Halt Spread?

Clinical Takeaway

: A rapid, coordinated multisectoral response stopped viral spread in a dense urban area in Rwanda.

Context

Marburg virus circulates silently in fruit bats in Africa and occasionally spills over into humans, causing lethal hemorrhagic disease. Infection spreads via contact with body fluids.

In 2024, Marburg virus disease caused hemorrhagic fever outbreak in two large urban hospitals in Rwanda. Within a week, over 20 health care workers were affected, prompting a coordinated national emergency response. Investigators retrospectively analyzed the outbreak response and outcomes.

Key Results

Sixty-six laboratory-confirmed cases (51 health care workers)
Median age, 32 years; median incubation, 10 days
Common presentation: fever, fatigue, and GI symptoms; hemorrhagic manifestations (almost half)
Overall case fatality rate: 23%
Investigational treatment…

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

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