marburg virus outbreak

yeek! there's been a partic'ly nasty outbreak of the marburg virus in angola.

Negative stain image of an isolate of Marburg virus, showing filamentous particles as well as the characteristic "Shepherd's Crook". Magnification approximately 100,000 times.

the scary bit? two confirmed marburg sufferers left the hospital and haven't been found. frelling nightmare innit.

here's a link to the CDC infosheet on marburg & here's what the BBC has to say:

Angolans die from Ebola-like bug
More than 90 people have died in the past five months in Angola after an outbreak of a haemorrhagic fever in the north caused by the Marburg virus.

The World Health Organization says the disease, which has particularly affected children under five years old, is from the Ebola family.

The symptoms, similar to Ebola, include vomiting, bloody discharge and fever.

The nature of the outbreak was discovered after blood samples were sent to the US for analysis.

The Marburg disease, which was first recognised in 1967, affects humans and primates.

Fled hospital

Mr Van Dunem said 101 cases of the illness had been reported in a hospital in the city of Uige.

Ninety-three people have died and two have left the hospital without being properly discharged, he told reporters.

"We are engaged in an effort with the community to find the two patients who fled the hospital and to detect new cases," he said.

WHO has suggested Angolan figures may include other deaths and said last week that at least 39 people have died.

WHO has had to cope with several outbreaks of Ebola in Africa since 2000.

The biggest was in Uganda four years ago, when hundreds died.

It passes quickly from person to person, through bodily fluids such as mucus, saliva and blood.

yaar, it's worse than lyme 4 sho'. remind me not to visit anywhere where they have haemorrhagic fevers no more. (i've been to places where they are endemic, and it's not an encouraging experience.)