Global Health Experts Alarmed by Deadly Marburg Virus Outbreaks in Africa

Two concurrent outbreaks of the Marburg virus, a close cousin of Ebola, are raising critical questions about the behavior of this mysterious bat-borne pathogen and global efforts to prepare for potential pandemics. There are no treatments or vaccines for Marburg, but there are some candidates that have shown promise in Phase 1 clinical trials. However, these candidates must be tested in active outbreaks to prove they work, and so far, no vaccine supplies have been delivered to test in the current outbreaks. The outbreaks in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are the first ever reported in either country.