When Marburg disease appeared for the first time in 1967, the scientific world was struck by the suddenness and brutality of the viral assault. The fear was great that such a new type of infectious disease could disseminate and quickly become a new and frightful world health problem.
Very fortunately and maybe for non well explained reasons, the incident remained located and sporadic.
When the events of South Sudan and North Zaire were again reported in the summer of 1976, the fear became even greater because the very spectacular and sensational description of the situation in Yambuku was difficult to explain and the risk for rapid spread was not to be overlooked.
Many industrialized countries which have regular relations with the countries involved in the epidemic had to take some position about the possible importation of cases.
Fortunately enough, the skill and energetic intervention of a certain number of experts were able, not only to confine the cases to the region where they occurred, but also to learn quite a lot about the causes of the epidemic development.
I would like to pay a special tribute to the Centers of the U.S.A., the U.K., France, South Africa and Belgium, who worked very cleverly on the identification and behaviour of the new "Ebola" virus.
As early as one year after the events, this International Colloquium was organized in Antwerp. The participation to this meeting of the most knowledgeable and skilled experts from the whole world has made it possible not only to clarify the various events and their succession and evolution in the field but also to make definite on the virus involved and provide scientists and public health authorities with a clear picture of the characteristics of the etiologic organism and its epidemic genius and also lift a side of the veil on the other mysterious and dangerous haemorrhagic diseases such as Lassa, Congo, Marburg or Ebola fevers.
I recognize the high scientific value of the contribution of the various speakers and am especially thankful to Prof. Dr. S.R. Pattyn and the Management of the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp for their scientific work and also for the very efficient organization of this Colloquium.
The World Health Organization should also be mentioned for its continuous concern and support for these problems.
The Department of Public Health of Belgium has been glad to be able to support initiative and wishes to express gratitude to all participants who made it possible to know more about these mysterious and dangerous new diseases.
Prof. Dr. S. HALTER,
Secretary General of the
Ministry of Public Health
and Family Affairs,
Brussels.
