Russia develops vaccine for deadly African virus
A vaccine for the prevention of Marburg virus disease, developed by Vector State Scientific Center of Virology and Biotechnology, is being prepared for clinical trials, the press service of the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well–being (Rospotrebnadzor) has announced.
“Employees of Rospotrebnadzor’s Vector State Research Center have developed a vaccine for the prevention of Marburg fever. The development has already passed preclinical trials, demonstrating its safety and effectiveness,” the Tuesday statement said.
The vaccine is now nearing readiness for clinical trials; a production batch is currently being prepared. The finalization of documentation is underway to obtain approval to conduct the tests.
As Russia advances its vaccine development, health officials across the globe are intensifying their efforts to control the spread of Marburg virus. In response to the escalating outbreak in Rwanda, US health authorities have announced that travelers arriving from the East African country must undergo screening measures upon entering the US.
“Starting the week of October 14, the CDC [US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] will begin public health entry screening of travelers entering the United States who have been in Rwanda in the past 21 days,” read a statement from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
In a bid to halt the spread of the disease, Rwanda launched a vaccination campaign on Sunday. The country received 700 doses of the Marburg inoculation from the US-based Sabin Vaccine Institute. Healthcare workers and close contacts of confirmed cases were prioritized for immunization. Currently, the vaccine has only been tested on adults aged 18 and older.
As of Monday, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health had confirmed 56 cases of Marburg virus, with 36 patients receiving isolation and treatment, and 12 fatalities recorded. Rwanda’s first-ever outbreak of the viral hemorrhagic fever was identified in late September.
The Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease from the same family as Ebola, triggers symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sore throat, and severe abdominal pain, often leading to fatal blood loss. The virus spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, including bedding.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that fatality rates in previous Marburg outbreaks have ranged from 24% to as high as 88%, making it one of the deadliest pathogens known to humanity.
Marburg virus was first identified in 1967 following simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia. These outbreaks were linked to research involving African green monkeys imported from Uganda and led to 31 infections and seven deaths.
The virus has struck various regions of Africa in recent years. In 2023, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea reported Marburg outbreaks, while Ghana experienced an outbreak in 2022, and Uganda recorded three deaths from the virus in 2017.
