Marburg virus

noun

Mar·​burg virus ˈmär-bərg- 

: a filovirus (species Marburg marburgvirus of the genus Marburgvirus) that causes an often fatal hemorrhagic fever and was originally transmitted to humans from green monkeys

Examples of Marburg virus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Like Ebola, the Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats and can spread between individuals through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated surfaces, such as bed linens. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

Rwanda’s first recorded outbreak of Marburg virus disease, announced on 27 September, is generating alarm and a host of questions. —Bykai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024

Amid reports of a deadly viral outbreak in Central Africa, researchers are reportedly scrambling to develop treatments and vaccines to combat the Marburg virus. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 3 Oct. 2024

Two other vaccines for Ebola virus could also be effective against Marburg virus. —Jess Craig, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Marburg, Germany

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

Marburg virus

noun

: an African single-stranded RNA virus of the family Filoviridae (species Marburg marburgvirus of the genus Marburgvirus) that causes Marburg hemorrhagic fever