Uganda's Python Cave reveals how a Marburg virus outbreak could begin

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic disease in humans caused by the Marburg virus. It is carried by Egyptian fruit bats and can spread to people after exposure in caves or mines where they live. So imagine the surprise of researchers when they monitored Python Cave in Uganda, a known Marburg virus reservoir, and found that, despite the danger, dozens of people were entering the site. Most of these visitors were unprotected and ignored safety rules, creating a golden opportunity for the virus to jump from bats to the local community.