RAVV causes Marburg virus disease in humans and nonhuman primates, a form of viral hemorrhagic fever.

[2] RAVV is a Select agent,[3] World Health Organization Risk Group 4 Pathogen (requiring Biosafety Level 4-equivalent containment),[4] National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Category A Priority Pathogen,[5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category A Bioterrorism Agent,[6] and listed as a Biological Agent for Export Control by the Australia Group.

[7] Ravn virus (today abbreviated RAVV, but then considered identical to Marburg virus) was first described in 1987 and is named after a 15-year old Danish boy who fell ill and died from it.

[8] In 2006, a whole-genome analysis of all marburgviruses revealed the existence of five distinct genetic lineages.

[citation needed]In the past, RAVV has caused the following MVD outbreaks: In 2009, the successful isolation of infectious RAVV was reported from caught healthy Egyptian rousettes (Rousettus aegyptiacus).