Session on the current Marburg outbreak

5 February 2025 | 12:00–13:00 | Online (Zoom)

On Wednesday, 5 February 2025, the International Health Care Training Institute organised an online lunch session on the current outbreak of the Marburg virus. The session offered participants a combination of practical experience and medical expertise and focused on deepening knowledge about the clinical picture, diagnosis and prevention of Marburg virus disease.

During the meeting, Mariska Kreuger (Doctor of International Health and MSc Medical Microbiology) shared her personal experiences with the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda. She provided insight into the context of the outbreak, the challenges in the field, and the impact of the virus on both healthcare providers and communities. Her contribution highlighted how quickly an outbreak can develop and the practical and emotional dilemmas this entails in an international health context.

Subsequently, Albert Vollaard (internist-infectiologist, LCI and National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) on the clinical picture of Marburg virus disease, as well as on diagnostic strategies and preventive measures. Attention was paid to transmission routes, risk groups and the role of infection prevention and control. His contribution placed experiences from the field in a broader clinical and public health perspective, with a focus on preparedness and response in both national and international contexts.

The session concluded with an interactive question and answer session, during which participants were able to ask questions about topics such as symptom recognition, protective measures for healthcare professionals, and the role of international cooperation in outbreaks of high-risk pathogens. The meeting emphasised the importance of knowledge sharing between clinical practice, fieldwork and public health institutes, and demonstrated how different disciplines reinforce each other in the approach to infectious diseases.

In preparation for the session, participants were advised to take advantage of the free WHO e-learning course. Introduction to Marburg virus disease via the OpenWHO platform, as well as on supplementary modules as a reference work. This embedded the session in broader international knowledge sources and current guidelines.