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.

Hand sanitizer powerful weapon against current measles outbreak

With measles cases in the U.S. at a 20-year high, it's more important than ever to keep your hands clean. Measles, caused by an airborne virus that's spread by breathing, coughing, and sneezing, can linger for up to two hours in the air or on surfaces.

30 May 2014

New project aims at saving lives of mothers, newborns in developing countries

Grand Challenges Canada, funded by the Government of Canada, today announces investments of $12 million in projects worldwide, aimed squarely at improving the health and saving the lives of mothers, newborns and children in developing countries.

22 May 2014

Depression is the leading cause of illness in adolescents, shows WHO's report

WHO's "Health for the world's adolescents" report reveals that depression is the predominant cause of illness and disability for both boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years.

15 May 2014

Reduced exposure to microbes triggers chronic inflammation

The greater prevalence of asthma, allergies and other chronic inflammatory disorders among people of lower socioeconomic status might be due in part to their reduced exposure to the microbes that thrive in rural environments, according to a new scientific paper.

25 Apr 2014

Evidence-based interventions provide promising strategies for reducing racial, ethnic health disparities

Evidence-based interventions at the local and national levels provide promising strategies for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities related to HIV infection rates, immunization coverage, motor vehicle injuries and deaths, and smoking, according to a new report by the CDC's Office of Minority Health and Health Equity.

21 Apr 2014

Research: Novel antiviral drug may reduce spread, severity of measles without vaccination

A novel antiviral drug may reduce the spread and severity of measles without a vaccination. Dr. Richard Plemper from the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University and Dr. Michael Natchus of the Emory Institute for Drug Discovery (EIDD) will be available to answer questions from the media at a live virtual press conference at 1 PM EDT, Wednesday, April 16th.

17 Apr 2014

Scientists develop novel antiviral drug that may prevent spreading of measles

A novel antiviral drug may protect people infected with the measles from getting sick and prevent them from spreading the virus to others, an international team of researchers says.

17 Apr 2014

Sneeze and cough generate cloud of invisible gas that propels droplets of infectious material

Each sneeze, cough or burp generates a cloud of invisible gas that propels droplets of infectious material farther than originally thought, and smaller droplets actually travel farther than larger ones. A new study from MIT researchers published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics says this gas cloud extends the reach of droplets by 5 to 200 times.

16 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: Sebelius withstood attacks, but wasn't 'warrior' for law; Burwell offers GOP chance to focus on law's problems

Kathleen Sebelius was known for her patience and cool under savage attack by Republicans, who treated her as a stand-in for the health law. She sat through hearings calmly reciting talking points while they fumed and fulminated for their audience. But that turned out to be one of her biggest liabilities ... What the health law needed in its first years was a cheerful, populist warrior who could laugh at the truly ridiculous distortions and lies Republicans invented about it, and roar back with the truth. Instead, she came across as a mild technocrat. She never emerged from the defensive crouch she assumed after the law's calamitous debut (David Firestone, 4/11).

15 Apr 2014

CDC receives 2014 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Operations Research and Management Sciences

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collaborated with Kid Risk, Inc. to use analytics and operations research to combat the remaining pockets of polio around the world, last night won the 2014 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Operations Research and the Management Sciences at a banquet sponsored by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) in Boston.

2 Apr 2014

Nearly 4 million infants die from vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide each year

Nearly 4 million children under 5 die from vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide each year, and two University of Michigan doctoral ecology students are working to change that.

2 Apr 2014

CDC receives 2014 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Operations Research, Management Sciences

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collaborated with Kid Risk, Inc. to use analytics and operations research to combat the remaining pockets of polio around the world, tonight won the 2014 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Operations Research and the Management Sciences at a banquet sponsored by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) in Boston.

1 Apr 2014

ADMA Biologics reports consolidated net loss of $15.5M in 2013

ADMA Biologics, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and intends to market specialty plasma-based biologics for the treatment and prevention of certain infectious diseases, today announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2013 and provided recent company developments as well as anticipated milestones for 2014.

28 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Mcconnell, Wasserman Schultz, Barasso on Obamacare's 4th anniversary; defending surgeon general nominee

The promises that were made to sell Obamacare - that it wouldn't disrupt people's previous health care arrangements and that premiums would go down - are now being exposed for the cheap and deceptive sales pitch they were. It may be tempting for some to brush all this aside as standard politics.

25 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: New delay on policies: Cover for dems or just smoothing the bumps of health law?

The Obama administration announced a new policy on Wednesday that will allow many people to renew their existing insurance policies for two more years even though the policies don't provide the comprehensive coverage and consumer protections required by the Affordable Care Act.

10 Mar 2014

New report reveals recurrent humanitarian crises in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern provinces

Democratic Republic of Congo is in the grip of an emergency. For two decades, persistent conflict in its eastern provinces and instability in other regions and a dysfunctional health system have led to recurrent humanitarian crises and outbreaks of disease.

6 Mar 2014

Loyola physician sheds light on common and painful viral infection, shingles

Shingles is a painful viral infection that affects almost one million people worldwide and 30 percent of Americans every year.

4 Mar 2014

Researchers discover new target for human antibodies that holds key to vaccine for dengue

Creating a vaccine that protects people from all four types of dengue virus has frustrated scientists for decades. But researchers at the University of North Carolina have discovered a new target for human antibodies that could hold the key to a vaccine for the world's most widespread mosquito-borne disease.

27 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: Finding a plan for 'tinkering with DNA'; fact-checking claims of ACA losses; pediatricians' fears of retail clinics

The manipulation of human genes could lead to profound advances in our ability to cure or prevent terrible diseases. But in some cases, it might also mean introducing genetic material that could be passed from one generation to the next, changing the human gene pool in a manner that could inadvertently harm peoples' health.

26 Feb 2014

New approach for delivering vaccines and for stimulating body's immune system to attack tumors

Many vaccines, including those for influenza, polio, and measles, consist of a killed or disabled version of a virus. However, for certain diseases, this type of vaccine is ineffective, or just too risky.

18 Feb 2014