10 Marburg Virus Symptoms
There are countless diseases in the world. Thankfully, we are well protected from most of them and of those that are common, most are unlikely to do us any real harm. However, that does not mean to say there are no diseases that are a very real threat to us.
The Marburg virus is a disease that belongs in the same family as the better-known Ebola disease. The symptoms of the two are similar and, in many cases, the condition is fatal. The disease is also very contagious and it is important that anybody working with patients uses all the protection that is available to them.
1. Fever
Many pathogens present a real danger to a patients life. Our bodies know this and will take immediate action as soon as it becomes apparent that an unwelcome intruder is present.
Fortunately, we have evolved various methods to deal with such unwelcome guests. One way that our body deals with pathogens is to make the body a hostile environment for them. One way to achieve this is to create a fever, which increases the temperature of our bodies to levels that are unsuitable for pathogens. This will often kill the pathogen, or at the least help to slow its progress.
2. Chills
Have you ever wondered why we will often feel cold despite our body being very hot with a fever? Chills are a part of the mechanism that helps to heat up the body in the first place, hence why the two generally occur hand in hand.
They occur because our bodies adjust our internal thermostats, making us feel cold even when we are not. Feeling cold will then cause our muscles to shiver. This action causes our muscles to warm up, hence helping to heat the body overall. The symptom should clear up completely once the pathogen has been successfully dealt with.
3. Aching Joints
Being sick is never pleasant and we will often experience some very horrible symptoms. One symptom that you are likely to have experienced in the past is aching joints and muscles.
While it is not usually a symptom that can be considered unbearable (except in extreme cases), it can still be very uncomfortable. Again, this is a side effect of our body tackling a pathogen. Our white blood cells are able to use certain chemicals that will help them to kill intruders. This is an effective weapon against disease, but it also causes inflammation of joints and muscles, and this causes the aches and pains we often feel when were ill.
4. Fatigue
Contracting the Marburg virus is a pretty big deal. It poses a very real threat to our lives and our body will be doing whatever it can to defeat the intruders. This requires a lot of energy, and this can be very exhausting for us even if we are trying to get as much rest as we can.
In addition, diseases like the Marburg Virus will lead to other symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. This means the patient is not likely to get as much nutrition from their food as they otherwise would. They are also not likely to be feeling like eating in the first place.
5. Diarrhea
Another symptom of the Marburg virus is diarrhea. It will often be quite severe and the patient is likely to experience malnutrition and dehydration as a result of the diarrhea. The symptom will help to worsen the other problems already being experienced by the patient.
Patients with diarrhea should be monitored closely to ensure that they do not become dehydrated. Even when the symptom is caused by an illness that is not serious, it is still wise to closely monitor vulnerable people, notably the very young and the very old. Patients with the Marburg virus are also likely to experience abdominal pain.
6. Extreme Weight Loss
Losing a lot of weight rapidly is not a good thing. It is important that our body remains reasonably strong and if it doesn’t then our ability to fight off disease is going to be considerably reduced. Weight loss is a symptom of the Marburg virus and it is likely to be extreme.
Part of the reason for the weight loss is that the patient is likely to lose their appetite for food, while a lot of the nutrition taken in will be used to help fight the disease. In addition, vomiting and diarrhea will also cause loss of weight.
7. Rash
There are numerous possible causes of a rash and most of them are quite harmless. They should not be treated with complacency, however, because they are sometimes a sign of something very serious. They can even be a sign that you have contracted the Marburg virus.
The rash associated with the Marburg virus is a maculopapular rash. This means that it consists of raised and flat skin lesions and also small red bumps. The rash is most commonly found on the back, stomach, and chest and is often very itchy. The word is a combination of “papule,” which refers to the small lumps, and “macule,” which refers to the lesions.
8. Red Eyes
Red eyes are fairly common. Sometimes, it might be down to an irritant such as chemicals or an allergen, other times it might simply be down to having had a heavy night before. However, it might also be a sign that you are in need of urgent medical attention.
While red eyes by themselves are unlikely to point medical professionals in the right direction of a correct diagnosis, they can at least help to give an idea if other symptoms are also present. If you are unsure either way, you should arrange to speak with a medical professional as soon as possible.
9. Bruising
The Marburg virus is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever. In short, this means that it has a tendency to cause blood to leak out from the blood vessels. This is one of the more horrific of all the symptoms, and one that can lead to extremely severe problems such as organ failure.
Sometimes, this bleeding will occur internally. When this occurs near the surface of the skin, the leaked blood will be clearly visible through the surface of the skin. This will result in dark blue, purple, and/or black patches in a condition that is commonly known as bruising.
10. Bleeding
As mentioned, the Marburg virus causes people to bleed, and not only internally. Patients can also bleed externally and it is not uncommon for blood to stream from the eyes of patients. This is because the membranes here are particularly thin, meaning they are among the first to start leaking.
As the condition gets worse and the patient gets closer to death, patients will also often start bleeding from their rectum, nose, and ears. The blood of a Marburg patient is highly contagious and it is essential that medical personnel, and anybody else that might come into contact with it, take all precautions.
