Marburg Virus Vaccine Consortium Convenes Today

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced it would convene an urgent Marburg virus vaccine consortium (MARVAC) meeting on February 14, 2023, to discuss the new Marburg virus disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea, in Africa.

This is an open webinar, and non-MARVAC members can digitally attend at this Zoom link.

The MARVAC includes leaders in the field of vaccine research and development, working together to develop vaccines against this infectious disease threat.

As of February 14, 2023, no vaccines or antiviral treatments have been U.S. FDA-approved to treat this severe virus.

However, there are vaccine candidates currently being evaluated.

The emergence of the Marburg virus disease (MVD)in Africa triggered the assembly of the MARVAC consortium in 2022.

MVD is in the same virus family that causes Ebola virus disease.

This urgent action is related to yesterday's WHO announcement that Equatorial Guinea had confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease.

Preliminary tests carried out following the deaths of at least nine people in the country's western Kie Ntem Province turned out positive for MARV viral hemorrhagic fever.

"Marburg is highly infectious. However, thanks to the rapid and decisive action by the Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease, emergency response can get to full steam quickly so that we save lives and halt the virus as soon as possible," commented Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a press release.