Medical Virology project
Marburg virus
Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1
Epidemiology............................................................................................................ 2
Virus structure: ......................................................................................................... 2
replication cycle........................................................................................................ 3
Pathogenesis and clinical syndrome of Marburg virus : ........................................... 4
Diagnosis of Marburg virus : .................................................................................... 4
Specimen collection ................................................................................................. 4
Treatment and prevention of Marburg virus disease : .............................................. 4
Vaccine..................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction:
Marburg virus (MARV), Family: Filoviridae, negative RNA virus single strand, Naked
nucleoside before budding process, non-segmented.
The virus gets on the envelope after it leaves the host cell.
Causes Marburg virus disease (MVD) Severe fever causes high death rates
The Marburg virus includes two main viral types: Marburg and other similar viruses
(RAVV), The virus includes several strains (Marburg Moskoke, Marburg Angola, Ci67,
Ozolin)
Epidemiology:
The first cases of infection appeared in a year 1967 in Germany “Marburg and Frankfurt “The
main source of the virus is (Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus), The disease transmitted
through body fluids such as (blood, urine, sweat or saliva)
Virus structure: The virus takes several forms, rod-shaped / ring shaped / crook- shaped/ six-
shaped or branched
The first electron micrograph of a Marburg
Avenger length: 892 nm / diameter about 91nm
External virus synthesis
A) An outer membrane takes it from the host cell, which prevents the immune system from
picking it up
B) Spikes have glycoprotein “GP “
Internal structure of the virus
Ribonucleoprotein complex, which consists of nucleocapsid (virus genome) and proteins.
The nucleocapsid shown using (Cryo -EM/ Cryo -electron – tomography) a left-handed helix,
with pointed tip and a barbed tip.
Proteins
The MARV genome encodes seven structural proteins listed
replication cycle:
Figure 7.
The virus's replication journey begins in the host cell as soon as it attaches to it
- After the first attachment between the virus and the cell surface, the virus enters the endocytosis stage,
through the endosome the virus surrounded by a vesicle and enters the cell
-Inside the cell, the GP1 protein degraded by the protease enzyme found in the endosome
-The hydrolysed GP1 protein binds to the NPS-1 receptor and enters the cytoplasm
-Inside the cytoplasm, the virus releases the nucleocapsid and converts the RNA into m-RNA
-After the transcription and translation process that RNA undergoes inside the host cell, the GP1 protein
synthesised in the endoplasmic reticulum
-Other viral proteins such as (VP24 /VP40) assemble and appear as a new virus through the budding process.
Pathogenesis and clinical syndrome of Marburg virus :
Syndrome: When the virus enters the body, it first attacks the immune cells (monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic
cell) Then move to the liver, lymph glands and spleen and there the expansion begins to spread and cause severe
infections in the body , Severe inflammation causes blood clotting and the formation of clots throughout the body
The incubation period of the virus extends from (3–12) days, then the disease develops through three stages
Generalisation phase: Flu-like symptoms (high fever, muscle aches, headache, symptoms last up to seven
days, then a rash appears
Early Organ phase: Symptoms intensify with conjunctivitis, fluctuating fever, hemorrhagic fever (mucous
membrane bleeding, vomiting of blood, bloody stools, bleeding from venipuncture sites)
Late Organ / convalescence phrase: Strong neurological symptoms such as coma may appear
Diagnosis of Marburg virus:
ELISA: The examination can carry out after the appearance of the first symptoms and reveals the antigen of
the virus
PCR: more sensitive and detects RNA
IgM – capture: Detection of diseases through antibodies produced by immunity
GP- Based ELISA Assays: Detects specially synthesised antibodies to a protein (GP) in the Marburg virus
IgG – capture ELISA: It detects IgG antibodies that usually persist for up to two weeks and remain elevated
after recovery
The choice of the proper examination depends on the stage at which the injury has reached
Specimen collection
Body’s fluid; (blood/ saliva/ urine)
Treatment and prevention of Marburg virus disease:
There are no approved treatments yet against the virus, but some measures related to isolating the patient and
using personal protective equipment correctly limit the spread of the virus.
Medicines under development:
I. Galidesivir or BCX4430, an antiviral that inhibits the enzyme polymerase RNA ،showed positive
results when given within 48 an hour in rodents.
II. Antibody therapy such as MR191-N
Vaccine
Inactivated virus vaccine Showed successful results with rodents (Cavia Porcellus)
Vaccines based on virus proteins, showed positive results in (Cavia Porcellus) but only four of six
primates survived
VEEV Replicon system vaccines: Using a modified version of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus
Disruption of the ability of the virus to reproduce
Modification of the virus to express proteins of Marburg such as GP, NP.
An immune response stimulated by the production of antibodies and the activation of T cells.
DNA and virus- like particle (VLP), Immune response from T-cell type CD4+
These vaccines are still in the experimental stages.