Feature Article: New Information Means Measles Is Even Worse Than We Thought
Published on in Parents PACK
Published on in Parents PACK
We know measles kills about 1 of every 500 people it infects. We know measles can cause a fatal condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE, years after the original infection. Now, we know something else about measles — it can wipe out a person’s immunity to infections other than measles.
In this new Science Made Easy video, Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center, discusses the implications of this finding related to both measles disease and vaccination. Specifically, people infected with measles may be more susceptible to other infections because of the damage done to their immunologic memory. On the other hand, the vaccine does not have this effect on immunologic memory. This finding offers yet another reason to protect children against measles by vaccinating them.
Go the video page to watch How Does Natural Infection with Measles Suppress the Immune System?
For more information about measles and the MMR vaccine, check out these resources from the Vaccine Education Center:
Categories: Parents PACK February 2020, Feature Article
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
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