What is Ebola hemorrhagic fever and Marburg viral disease?
Ebola hemorrhagic fever and Marburg viral disease
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is caused by viral infection. Although the origin (natural host) of this virus is still unknown, humans are thought to have been infected first by monkeys in Africa, whereupon the virus spread from person to person. Symptoms appear 2 - 21 days after the initial infection followed by the rapid development of fever, headaches, muscle pain and throat pain together with vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Death can moreover occur due to internal hemorrhaging and severe damage to the internal organs. Although hemorrhage spots are sometimes evident in the case of monkeys, sudden death is the most common.
Marburg viral disease is caused by infection by the Marburg virus, which is closely related to the Ebola virus (Filoviridae family) that causes the Ebola hemorrhagic fever. It too is thought to have been transmitted originally from monkeys to humans in Africa and is known to produce much the same symptoms. There is no cure for either of these diseases at present.
Since neither of these infections has yet occurred in Japan, it is important to prevent their incursion from overseas.