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 Ebola and Marburg outbreak tool kit (including case definitions) here
- WHO Clinical management of MVD here
- WHO Clinical management SOP here
- WHO IPC resources here
- WHO IPC rapid assessment tool to assess facilities here
- WHO standard precautions in healthcare settings here
- WHO Posters on EVD Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Donning and Doffing
- Gown and headcover: putting on / removing
- Coverall:putting on / removing
- WHO IPC measures for Ebola and Marburg disease: past and present here
- WHO Summary of infection prevention and control guideline for Ebola and Marburg disease: a call for evidence based practice here
- WHO Essential Items Estimator Tool here
- WHO Assessment and management of health and care workers with possible occupational exposures to Orthoebolavirus or Orthomarburgvirus here
- WHO FiloTREAT - Online training to strengthen Filovirus Outbreak Response here
- Guidance on the clinical management of filovirus disease (2026) 15h15_11 June_26030_Guideline on the clinical management of filovirus disease
- Executive summary on guidance on the clinical management of filovirus disease (2026) WHO guidelines for the clinical management of filovirus disease: executive summary