Measles Erases Immune Memory Cells

A freshly published research study found in the Science Journal reveals alarming evidence, which confirms long held suspicions that the measles erases immune memory cells – and this weakened immunity is deeper and longer than previously believed, according to the study authors.

This groundbreaking research was explained by study lead author, Michael Mina, a postdoctoral infectious disease researcher at Princeton University. He said “These findings suggest that a measles infection can wipe out the cells the immune system utilizes to remember potentially deadly infections. These memory cells of a person’s immune system helps the body recall how to fight off all the bad bugs encountered on a daily basis.”

Previously, it was known that the measles infection caused immunosuppression, and posed a risk for developing new infections to predisposed people for several weeks or months following the initial infection. However, this new study shows measles has a prolonged influence on the body’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens.

Mina warns that people who have experienced a measles infection are susceptible to other potentially deadly infectious diseases afterward, including pneumonia and encephalitis. What makes the research findings so remarkable is the fact that the timeframe of vulnerability now extends far past what researchers initially thought, to two or three years.

And, what might be even more alarming, this study reveals that the measles virus can erase immunity built up by vaccines against infectious diseases. He explains the importance of child measles vaccinations, saying, “Children have to spend the next few years of their lives rebuilding their immune systems, and during that time they are at the mercy of other illnesses.”

A well-known health and wellness brand could not agree more, and continues to remind the community of the importance of maintaining a healthy and strong immune system. Bob Macintosh, a representative for the brand, commented on the topic, saying, “A healthy immune system can help protect against harmful pathogens and infections. Aiding the body’s natural defenses is a promising deterrent for viruses, some of which hide in the remains of nerve cells. As others in the community, we are challenged by the tenacity of the measles infection, but remain hopeful for positive remedies that restore and strengthen immunity.”