Measles News and Research

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Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. It remains a leading cause of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. An estimated 197 000 people died from measles in 2007, mostly children under the age of five.

Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family. The measles virus normally grows in the cells that line the back of the throat and the lungs. It is a human disease not known to occur in animals.

Political polarization drives surge in anti-vaccine legislation across the US

Despite overwhelming evidence on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine hesitancy intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic and has fueled skepticism towards other life-saving vaccines for children, adults, and pets.

17 Jul 2026

Global child immunization rates stall despite minor pandemic recovery

In 2025, 90% of infants globally – or nearly 116 million – received at least one dose of a diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine, and 85% – or 110 million – completed the full three-dose series, according to the annual WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) released today.

15 Jul 2026

New grants advance AI-powered wastewater pathogen surveillance

Detecting infectious disease threats early and responding quickly can dramatically alter the course of an infectious outbreak.

2 Jul 2026

KFF poll finds vaccine myths reach many Americans but convince few

KFF’s 2026 tracking poll found that many U.S. adults have heard common vaccine myths, including false claims about MMR, COVID-19, mRNA vaccines, and measles vaccines. Fewer adults strongly believe these myths, but a large, uncertain “malleable middle” remains, especially among those without a trusted health care provider, frequent social media users, some AI health-information users, and parents who delayed or skipped childhood vaccines.

1 Jul 2026

Wastewater analysis offers novel approach to track HIV burden

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) detection in wastewater offers a novel approach to monitor the virus in communities.

15 Jun 2026

New poll reveals how politics reshaped trust in U.S. public health

A Harvard Chan/de Beaumont national poll of 2,205 U.S. adults found CDC trust dropped to 50% one year into new federal public health leadership, while state and local health agencies remained more trusted.

14 Jun 2026

New project launches to advance chikungunya vaccine in Africa

Funded by the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, a new €15.3 million project coordinated by Institut Pasteur brings together seven partners across four continents to advance clinical trials and prepare for the manufacturing of a chikungunya vaccine in Africa.

8 Jun 2026

Africa CDC and WHO unite to combat Ebola outbreak

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan on the ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus.

7 Jun 2026

Cross-reactive T cells target measles and dangerous Nipah viruses

T cells are some of the immune system's most important warriors. They can stop tumor growth and even fight off severe infections.

2 Jun 2026

New oral antiviral drug candidate targets measles and Croup syndrome

A new oral antiviral drug candidate has been developed for the treatment of diseases caused by orthoparamyxoviruses, such as measles and Croup syndrome, according to a study published by researchers in the Center for Translational Antiviral Research at Georgia State University.

22 May 2026

Scientists urge advocacy to protect vital global vaccine research

Scientists and physicians should advocate to protect the vaccine research infrastructure that has saved an estimated 154 million lives over the past 50 years, according to a new commentary by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of Washington.

22 May 2026

New vaccine approach targets broad protection against arenavirus infections

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have discovered that combining key vaccine ingredients could give the body the tools it needs to fight the entire family of arenaviruses with a single vaccine.

21 May 2026

Study reveals hidden airborne infection pathways in multi-family buildings

Airborne diseases like measles, influenza and COVID-19 can easily spread between units in multi-family buildings via a type of bathroom ventilation system commonly used around the world, new research suggests.

13 May 2026

Rockefeller scientists reveal how HIV strains escape broadly neutralizing antibodies

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are among the most promising new treatments for HIV, offering the potential to forego traditional daily dose of antiretroviral drugs.

11 May 2026

Scientists identify powerful human antibodies capable of neutralizing measles virus

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are the first in the world to characterize human antibodies capable of neutralizing measles virus.

7 May 2026

New tools for quicker and easier Mpox diagnosis

Following the rise in monkeypox (Mpox) cases, particularly in countries where the disease had not traditionally been observed, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in June 2022 and again in August 2024.

4 May 2026

U.S. fails key measles elimination indicators amid rising outbreaks

After public health experts declared measles eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established seven indicators of measles elimination status to ensure that the country remained on track.

30 Apr 2026

How media choices shape MMR vaccine hesitancy in the US

The study examines how media sources impact MMR vaccine attitudes, revealing a connection between non-mainstream outlets and increased vaccine hesitancy.

29 Apr 2026

Digital media preferences influence public beliefs about vaccines

People who follow "new right" media outlets are more than twice as likely to be vaccine-hesitant compared to those who never engage with those outlets, a new Johns Hopkins University study finds.

28 Apr 2026

Scientists map 239 human-infective RNA viruses to track future outbreak risks

Researchers updated the global catalogue of human-infective RNA viruses to 239 ICTV-recognised species, incorporating taxonomy, discovery dates, locations, genome links, host range, transmissibility, and transmission routes. The dataset shows that most known human-infective RNA viruses remain strictly zoonotic, while only a minority are endemic in humans or capable of epidemic spread.

26 Apr 2026