Marburg Viral Disease Outbreak

Context:  Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease.

About Marburg Viral Disease:

•  Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
• Marburg virus is the member of the Filoviridae family (filovirus). 

Transmission:

• Rousettus aegyptiacus, fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family, are considered to be natural hosts of the Marburg virus.
• The Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-human transmission  via direct contact with the blood, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.

Treatment:

There are no authorised vaccines or drugs to treat Marburg, but rehydration treatment to alleviate symptoms can improve the chances of survival.

Source: DownToEarth

Previous Year Questions

Q.1) In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements:

1. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform.
2. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using vector based platform.
3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine.

Which of the statements given above are correct? (2022)

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.2) Consider the following:

1. Bacteria
2. Fungi
3. Virus

Which of the above can be cultured in an artificial/ synthetic medium? (2021)

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3