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.

Getting right level of leptin may help protect cardiovascular health

Like that famous bowl of porridge, when leptin levels are "just right" they help protect our cardiovascular health, scientists say.

29 Oct 2018

Themis, Max-Planck-Innovation sign license agreement to develop and commercialize oncolytic virotherapies

Themis announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Max-Planck-Innovation GmbH, the technology transfer agency of the Max Planck Society in Germany, granting it exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize therapies based on an oncolytic measles virus platform that was jointly developed by the Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

11 Oct 2018

The feds’ termination of a tiny contract inflames bitter fight over fetal tissue

Federal health officials announced late last month they had terminated their contract with a company that supplies human fetal tissue for medical research and were checking that similar contracts, as well as studies conducted with that tissue, comply with federal law.

8 Oct 2018

Research finds drop in number of measles cases in the EU/EEA since March 2018

During the month of July, a total of 758 cases of measles were reported across seventeen countries in the EU/EEA, which is a decrease from the 1054 cases reported during the month of June.

21 Sep 2018

Healthcare budget cuts contribute significantly to resurgence of measles

Recent trends show that primary reason for the measles outbreak, affecting several European countries, is the decline in vaccination coverage, for which mainly the 'spread of anti-scientific theories' can be blamed. However, it turns out it is not the only one.

12 Sep 2018

Immunization shots effective at preventing measles

High fever. Cough. Runny nose. Red, watery eyes. It may not be the flu. It could be measles.

30 Aug 2018

FDA warns consumers and pet owners not to use drug products made by King Bio

The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers and pet owners not to use drug products, including homeopathic drug products, made by King Bio Inc., Asheville, N.C., and labeled as Dr. King's, as these products may pose a safety risk to people (especially infants, children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems), as well as pets due to high levels of microbial contamination identified at the manufacturing site.

29 Aug 2018

Anti vaccination and divisive propaganda by Russian trolls and Twitter bots

Anti-vaccine campaigners were bad enough, now Twitter bots and Russian trolls have joined in on the action and misinformation.

23 Aug 2018

Measles cases on the rise in Europe

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is a sharp rise in the number of measles cases across Europe in the first six months of this year. Measles has affected over 41,000 individuals and killed 37, says the WHO.

20 Aug 2018

Researchers use super-resolution microscope to unravel secrets of deadly Nipah virus

The deadly Nipah virus and others like it assemble themselves in a much more haphazard manner than previously thought, new UBC research has found. The discovery could allow scientists to develop more effective vaccines and rule out many approaches to fighting these viruses.

16 Aug 2018

Genetic sequencing method identifies pathogens behind respiratory illnesses in Uganda

A study led by researchers at Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Department of Medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center reports on the use of a genetic sequencing method to identify viral pathogens behind unexplained respiratory illnesses in Uganda over a five-year period.

10 Aug 2018

Mandatory vaccinations for children stopped in Italy

The Italian government has removed the necessity for all children to be vaccinated against 10 important infectious diseases before they can join school or day care. This has shocked and angered the medical and scientific community.

7 Aug 2018

New study finds key factors behind differences in immune responses

Age, sex, and specific human genetic variants are the key factors behind differences between immune responses among healthy humans, finds a study of 1,000 individuals carried out by EPFL and the Pasteur Institute.

6 Aug 2018

Vaccine schedule is a must-have on child’s back-to-school checklist

With the start of the school year just around the corner, it is easy to overlook one of the most important things on any back-to-school checklist - making sure your child is vaccinated. Vaccinations protect children from serious diseases, ultimately protecting families, schools and communities by way of safe and effective immunizations.

1 Aug 2018

Research provides new insights about when booster meningitis vaccines are needed

Scientists are indicating that children in Burkina Faso who were vaccinated against group A meningococcal meningitis and septicemia between the ages of 1-4 years in 2010, could need a booster dose of the vaccine as early as this year to ensure they remain protected.

27 Jul 2018