Marburg viruses. Coloured Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM) of two Marburg viruses, cause of Marburg virus disease. The disease is also called Green Monkey or Vervet Monkey disease. These long viruses are a member of the filovirus group. They are similar in appearance to, but antigenically distinct from, the Ebola virus. The first outbreak occurred in Marburg, Frankfurt, in August 1967, in which seven people died. Since then cases have occurred in Africa. Symptoms of viral haemorrhagic fever include high fever, diarrhoea, haemorrhage and a skin rash. Both Marburg and Ebola viruses cause an illness in monkeys that resembles that in humans. Magnification: x60, 000 at 6x7cm size. |