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Ebola and Marburg are distinct viral diseases that can cause very similar illnesses. Both may begin with sudden fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches, and both can spread through contact with infected body fluids or contaminated materials. Symptoms cannot tell you which disease someone has: laboratory testing is needed. If you may have been exposed or develop symptoms during an outbreak, contact a health provider or local health authority promptly rather than trying to diagnose or treat the illness at home.
Are Ebola and Marburg the same disease?
No. They are separate diseases caused by different viruses in the filovirus family. Ebola disease is caused by orthoebolaviruses; Marburg virus disease is caused by Marburg virus or Ravn virus. Their symptoms and transmission routes overlap, but a person’s symptoms alone cannot establish which infection they have—or distinguish either one from other infections.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that only laboratory testing can confirm Marburg. The same practical rule applies to suspected Ebola: medical and public-health teams use laboratory testing to confirm the diagnosis. WHO’s Marburg questions and answers and its dated fact sheets explain the distinction.
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Both illnesses may start suddenly after an incubation period of 2–21 days. That range describes the interval in which symptoms may begin after exposure; it does not predict exactly when any individual will become ill. WHO says people do not transmit either disease before symptoms begin, and remain infectious while virus is present in their blood.
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| Feature | Ebola disease | Marburg virus disease |
|---|---|---|
| Incubation period | 2–21 days | 2–21 days |
| Possible early symptoms | Sudden fever, fatigue or malaise, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat | Abrupt high fever, chills, severe headache, severe tiredness, and muscle aches |
| Possible later symptoms | Vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rash, impaired kidney or liver function; confusion may occur | Vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain; confusion may occur |
| Bleeding | Can occur later, but is less frequent than commonly perceived | Can occur in severe disease |
| Confirmation | Laboratory testing | Laboratory testing |
Symptoms can vary, and not everyone develops every symptom listed. Bleeding is not an inevitable early sign of either disease. Because the illnesses can resemble one another and other infections, including malaria, a symptom checklist is not a safe way to diagnose them. The clinical details and incubation ranges are from WHO’s Ebola disease fact sheet (24 April 2025) and Marburg virus disease fact sheet (20 January 2025).
How do Ebola and Marburg spread?
Both can spread when a person has direct contact, through broken skin or mucous membranes, with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids. Contact with objects or surfaces contaminated by those fluids can also transmit infection. Unsafe handling of the body of someone who died from the disease can expose others. Caregivers and health workers face risk when appropriate infection-prevention precautions are not followed.
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Animal exposure can also be a source of initial infection. WHO identifies fruit bats as natural hosts associated with both disease groups; its Marburg fact sheet specifically identifies the Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus. During outbreaks, follow local advice about avoiding potentially infected wildlife and food-related risks.
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Does Marburg spread through the air?
WHO’s Marburg Q&A, dated 20 January 2025, says: “The disease does not spread through the air.” That does not make close caregiving or contact with contaminated materials safe: direct body-fluid exposure remains a serious transmission risk. Read WHO’s Marburg Q&A.
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How can people reduce exposure?
Prevention depends on avoiding exposure and following the response guidance in the affected area. Practical steps for individuals include:
- Avoid contact with people who may be ill and with their body fluids; follow local health-authority advice if an outbreak is under way.
- Do not touch the body of someone who died with suspected or confirmed Ebola or Marburg. Safe and dignified burial procedures should be handled by trained response teams.
- Wash hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub when appropriate.
- Avoid potentially infected wildlife and follow local food-safety advisories during outbreaks.
- If symptoms or a possible exposure raise concern, contact a health provider or local authority promptly and follow instructions on where to be assessed.
Outbreak control is not a do-it-yourself protocol. WHO describes a coordinated response that can include early detection and isolation, clinical care, laboratory services, surveillance and contact tracing, infection prevention and control in health facilities, community engagement, and safe burials. Vaccination is relevant only for particular Ebola viruses. Health-facility personal protective equipment and other transmission-based precautions must be used by trained teams following current protocols. WHO’s 2025 infection prevention and control guideline for Ebola and Marburg disease is the relevant health-facility guidance; its publication record says it replaces three earlier IPC documents from 2014 and 2016.
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What should you do if symptoms or exposure are a concern?
Contact a health provider or local health authority promptly, explain the possible exposure and when it occurred, and follow their directions about assessment and travel. In an active outbreak, local authorities can give current instructions for suspected exposure or illness. Do not rely on symptoms to distinguish Ebola from Marburg or another infection, and do not attempt home diagnosis or treatment. WHO says people who test positive for Marburg need early care at a designated treatment centre.
Early care matters. Supportive treatment—including rehydration and treatment of symptoms—can improve survival for both diseases. The appropriate assessment and care pathway depends on local public-health instructions and the person’s condition.
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Are there vaccines or specific treatments?
Availability differs by virus and can change over time. The statements below reflect the dated WHO fact sheets, not a guarantee of current availability in every country.
| Disease | WHO status in cited fact sheet | Care |
|---|---|---|
| Ebola disease | WHO’s 24 April 2025 fact sheet says Ervebo and Zabdeno/Mvabea are approved vaccines for Ebola virus disease caused by Ebola virus. WHO says approved vaccines and treatments are available for only one of the Ebola viruses; candidates for other Ebola diseases are under development. | Supportive care, including rehydration and symptom treatment. |
| Marburg virus disease | WHO’s 20 January 2025 fact sheet says no vaccine or antiviral treatment was approved for Marburg at that time; candidates were in development. | Supportive care, including rehydration and symptom treatment. |
The Ebola vaccines listed above do not mean that a vaccine protects against Marburg. Check current health-authority guidance for approval status, eligibility, and availability.
What do reported fatality rates mean?
WHO’s fact sheets give an average case-fatality rate of around 50% for past outbreaks of each disease. WHO says rates varied from 25–90% in past Ebola outbreaks and 24–88% in past Marburg outbreaks. These are summaries of past outbreaks, not an individual’s risk estimate or a prediction for a particular outbreak; outcomes depend on outbreak context and access to care.
For current outbreak information, local instructions and response updates, consult WHO’s outbreak toolbox. Its page was updated in February 2025; it does not establish that any particular outbreak remains active.
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