What is the Difference Between Ebola and Marburg

The main difference between Ebola and Marburg is that Ebola is slightly more virulent whereas Marburg is comparatively less virulent than Ebola.

Ebola and Marburg are two types of virus infections caused by filamentous filoviruses. Both viruses cause hemorrhage, multiple organ failure, and capillary leakage. They also show high mortality rates.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Ebola
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Marburg
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
3. Similarities Between Ebola and Marburg
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Ebola and Marburg
   • Comparison of  Key Differences

Key Terms

Ebola, Marburg

What is Ebola

Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Ebola viruses. Generally, the symptoms of Ebola occur after two or three weeks of infection. Fever, sore throat, muscle pain, and headaches are the first symptoms. Later, the infection causes vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and decreased liver and kidney function. Most dangerously, the Ebola virus diseases cause bleeding, both internally and externally. Moreover, the survival rate of the Ebola virus disease is 50% and most deaths occur due to shock from fluid loss.

Figure 1: Ebola Virus

The Ebola virus disease spread through direct contact with body fluids such as blood from an infected person. It can also spread through the air between humans and other primates. Semen and breast milk still contain the virus for several weeks to months even after the recovery from the disease. The carrier of diseases in nature is the fruit bat. In addition, the diagnosis of the disease is by the presence of viral RNA, virus antibodies, or the presence of the virus itself. Normally, the prevention of the disease is by the Ebola vaccine.

Ebola virus (EBOV) is a member of a relatively small family of viruses known as Filoviridae. Also, it belongs to the much larger order of negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses called Mononegavirales. Within the family Filoviridae, there are five recognized genera—Ebolavirus, Marburgvirus, Cuevavirus, Striavirus, and Thamnovirus – each of which contains one or more species represented by a specific type of viruses. On the other hand, the disease ebola is caused by four viruses; Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Taï Forest virus (TAFV), and the other is simply called Ebola virus (EBOV, formerly Zaire Ebolavirus).

What is Marburg

Marburg is also a virus disease with hemorrhagic fever. The Marburg virus belongs to the same family, Filoviridae as the Ebola virus. Normally, the species, Marburg marburgvirus, causes the Marburg virus disease. Especially, Marburg virus is a filovirus, and its filamentous particles may appear in the shape of a shepherd’s crook. Besides, the length of the Marburg virus particles is 80 nm. Although the Marburg virus is less virulent than the Ebola virus disease, the Marburg disease is considered extremely dangerous. Therefore, the World Health Organization ranked the Marburg virus at Risk Group 4 Pathogen.

Figure 2: Marburg Virus

Moreover, the transmission of the Marburg virus is by fruit bats and the spreading of the disease is by contact with infected body fluids. Generally, the common symptom of Marburg disease is bleeding and fever. However, there is no vaccine or antiviral treatment for the Marburg virus disease. There are two Marburg viruses: Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV). However, their clinical symptoms are more similar to the Ebola virus.

Similarities Between Ebola and Marburg

• Ebola and Marburg are two types of viral diseases that cause hemorrhage fever.
• These viruses belong to the Filoviridae family.
• They are viral diseases in primates.
• These viruses are extremely dangerous.
• Moreover, the transmission of both viral diseases is by fruit bats.
• The transmission of viral diseases is through unprotected sex and broken skin via body fluids.
• The common symptoms of the disease include bleeding and fever.
• Treatment is supportive.
• Strict isolation and quarantine measures are necessary to contain outbreaks.

Difference Between Ebola and Marburg

Definition

Ebola refers to an infectious and frequently fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal bleeding, spread through contact with infected body fluids by a filovirus (Ebola virus), whose normal host species is unknown, while Marburg refers to an acute, often fatal, form of hemorrhagic fever caused by a filovirus (Marburg virus) which normally lives in African monkeys.

Species

Ebola virus disease is caused by four viruses: Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Taï Forest virus (TAFV), and Zaire ebolavirus, while the Marburg virus disease is caused by Marburg marburgvirus.

Virulence

Usually, Ebola is slightly more virulent while Marburg is comparatively less virulent than Ebola.   

Symptoms

The main symptoms of Ebola virus disease are fever, aches, and pain such as severe headache and muscle and joint pain, sore throat, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and bleeding while the symptoms of Marburg virus disease include a maculopapular rash, most prominent on the trunk (chest, back, stomach), nausea, vomiting, chest pain, a sore throat, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Availability of Vaccines

Ebola vaccine is available while there is no vaccine available for Marburg.

Conclusion

In brief, Ebola and Marburg are two viral diseases whose key symptoms are bleeding and fever. They are extremely dangerous viral diseases. The four virus strains that cause Ebola virus disease are Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Taï Forest virus (TAFV), and Zaire ebolavirus. On the other hand, the strain, Marburg Marburgvirus causes the Marburg virus disease. Moreover, the Ebola virus disease is more virulent than the Marburg virus disease. Therefore, the main difference between Ebola and Marburg disease is their virulence.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, August 26). Ebola (ebola virus disease). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, August 8). Marburg (Marburg virus disease). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 24, 2022.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Ebola virus virion” By CDC/Cynthia Goldsmith – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Marburg virus ” By CDC/ Dr. Erskine Palmer, Russell Regnery – Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia