Marburg hemorrhagic fever natural history, complications and prognosis

If left untreated symptoms of marburg hemorrhagic fever become increasingly severe and can include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhage, and multi-organ dysfunction. Common complications of marburg hemorrhagic fever include orchitis, Transverse myelitis and Parotitis. Prognosis of marburg hemorrhagic fever is generally poor. Case fatality rates in marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreaks have ranged from 23% to 90%.

• Humans and nonhuman primates are susceptible to filovirus infection and are considered to be end hosts.^[1]
• Surveys to identify animal reservoirs and arthropod vectors have been aggressively undertaken in endemic areas, particularly after most large filovirus outbreaks.
• If left untreated symptoms of marburg hemorrhagic fever become increasingly severe and can include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhage, and multi-organ dysfunction.
• Because many of the signs and symptoms of Marburg hemorrhagic fever are similar to those of other infectious diseases such as malaria or typhoid fever, clinical diagnosis of the disease can be difficult, especially if only a single case is involved.

Common complications of marburg hemorrhagic fever include:^[2][3]

• Orchitis
• Transverse myelitis
• Parotitis
• Pancreatic hemorrhage
• Chronic hepatitis

• Prognosis of marburg hemorrhagic fever is generally poor.^[4][5]
• Case fatality rates in marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreaks have ranged from 23% to 90%.
• Both acute kidney injury and higher viral load are associated with adverse outcome and increased mortality.
• Younger children (<5 years) and adults (> 40 years) have a higher mortality rate compared with adolescents and younger adults.
• Patients who live through the second week of infection have a >75% chance of surviving.
• Viral shedding in seminal fluid may continue for more than a year and a half after recovery.
• Patients who survive commonly exhibit a protracted recovery characterized by arthralgias, fatigue, ocular symptoms, headache, abdominal pain, anemia, and deafness.