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.

ECDC analysis highlights measles vaccination gaps in teenagers and young adults

ECDC data show that up to 80% of teenagers and young adults who contracted measles in 2017 had not been vaccinated. ECDC analysis of sub-national data indicates that even countries with high overall levels of vaccine coverage may have groups that are unvaccinated.

23 Apr 2018

Computer-based intervention to increase parents’ knowledge about HPV vaccination

It's been almost 30 years since Salt-N-Pepa implored Americans to set their puritanical misgivings aside and talk about sex, and yet we still struggle with the subject; that fact is abundantly clear when you consider national HPV vaccination rates.

16 Apr 2018

Legacy of social and political factors may be responsible for vaccine hesitancy

A legacy of social and political factors rather than bad parenting may be influencing people's decisions not to vaccinate their children, according to a study from the University of Waterloo.

9 Apr 2018

Phase I clinical trial of HIV vaccines to begin in the U.S.

A Phase I clinical trial testing the safety of vaccines that might have the potential to prevent HIV infection will begin this month at four sites in the United States, marking the latest step in a three-decade quest at UMass Medical School to harness the power of DNA vaccines in addressing a major global health threat.

28 Mar 2018

Measles infection in early childhood could contribute to later COPD

In a new Respirology study, having measles—a highly contagious respiratory infection—during early childhood was linked with an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in middle age, but only in adults with asthma and a considerable history of smoking.

21 Mar 2018

Measles alert after two passengers with the disease fly into US

Vulnerable persons who have not been vaccinated for measles and have been through airports in Newark, New Jersey, Detroit and Memphis this month are being warned about the possible risk of measles by the health officials. They have announced that two air passengers from overseas were confirmed to have had measles and were travelling via these airports.

18 Mar 2018

Misconceptions about MMR vaccine found to influence usage of Zika vaccine

People's willingness to use a Zika vaccine when it's available will be influenced by how they weigh the risks associated with the disease and the vaccine, but also by their misconceptions about other vaccines, a new study has found.

15 Mar 2018

Discovery may lead to effective research and better treatments for Ebola, other viral diseases

University of Alberta researchers have found the Ebola polymerase (enzyme), which may lead to more effective research and better treatments for the often fatal infection, and other related viral diseases.

8 Mar 2018

Australian brings measles to New York sparking fears for unvaccinated

According to the city officials in New York, the small population of unvaccinated individuals need to be extra careful over the next couple of weeks because an Australian individual with suspected measles has arrived in the city. This announcement was made last Friday by the New York State Department of Health.

26 Feb 2018

Repeated sick days do not affect children's learning ability, study shows

A fevered and listless child with ear pain, a bad cough or snot running out of their nose is a well-known phenomenon in most families with children.

23 Feb 2018

Measles vaccination provides child survival benefits beyond protecting against infection

In the largest study to date on children in a low/ middle-income country, new research in Ghana finds that the timing of a measles vaccine in an overall vaccination schedule can have a profound impact on child survival rates beyond protecting against measles infection.

12 Feb 2018

Compounds isolated from rattlesnake's venom show promise to fight against hepatitis C

A group of Brazilian scientists achieved promising results using isolated compounds from the venom of the South American rattlesnake in combat of hepatitis C.

8 Feb 2018

Anti-inflammatory pill could help make vaccines more effective for the elderly

By identifying why skin immunity declines in old age, a UCL-led research team has found that an anti-inflammatory pill could help make vaccines more effective for elderly people.

22 Jan 2018

Reminders can improve immunization rates

Rates of immunization against infectious diseases in children and adults are improving, but under-vaccination remains a problem that results in vaccine-preventable deaths and illnesses. In Europe, 11,316 cases of measles were reported during 2012, and an estimated four to 50 million symptomatic cases of flu occur each year.

19 Jan 2018

Measles outbreak alarms public health officials

According to the Public Health England (PHE) there are “large outbreaks” of measles in Europe that is cause for concern.

16 Jan 2018

Women survive better than men during hard times, research shows

Women today tend to live longer than men almost everywhere worldwide -- in some countries by more than a decade.

9 Jan 2018

New research hub set up to help stop future outbreaks of killer diseases

A ground-breaking new research hub has been set up to help halt future outbreaks of killer diseases like Ebola and Zika.

3 Jan 2018

UCLA expert suggests measures for reducing risk of getting sick during holiday travel

It's that time of year when families jet off to all parts of the country – and the globe - to share some holiday cheer. Unfortunately, all that travel forces people into often-crowded airplanes, automobiles and airports. And there's the sharing of hugs and kisses with loved ones upon arrival at their destination.

28 Dec 2017

Automated social media accounts can be dangerous to your health

Fake social media accounts already have a reputation of swaying political discourse, but a Keck School of Medicine of USC researcher says these automated accounts are even more dangerous -- they can be bad for your health.

20 Dec 2017

Single dose of measles vaccine not sufficient to protect children against disease in Bangladesh

Research in Bangladesh has found that a quarter of children need more than single doses of the measles vaccine to be protected against the disease. This research supports the country's recent move to a double-dose approach.

6 Nov 2017