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.

Global immunization progress threatened by misinformation and funding cuts

Immunization efforts are under growing threat as misinformation, population growth, humanitarian crises and funding cuts jeopardize progress and leave millions of children, adolescents and adults at risk, warn WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi during World Immunization Week, 24–30 April.

24 Apr 2025

San Antonio scientists use machine learning to identify potential treatments for deadly viruses

A team of San Antonio-based biomedical researchers trained a machine learning algorithm to identify more than two dozen viable treatments for diseases caused by zoonotic pathogens that can jump from animal hosts to infect humans.

23 Apr 2025

Measles misinformation is on the rise — and Americans are hearing it, survey finds

While the most serious measles epidemic in a decade has led to the deaths of two children and spread to 27 states with no signs of letting up, beliefs about the safety of the measles vaccine and the threat of the disease are sharply polarized, fed by the anti-vaccine views of the country's seniormost health official.

23 Apr 2025

Why measles is resurging in vulnerable countries despite global progress

Global measles incidence, mortality, and DALY rates in children under five dropped significantly from 1990 to 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted vaccination efforts, leading to coverage declines and elevated outbreak risks in low-SDI regions.

17 Apr 2025

RFK Jr. struggles to navigate frustrated supporters and a demanding boss

After the Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary, supporters of his "Make America Healthy Again" movement cheered at having a champion in the federal government.

17 Apr 2025

Pediatricians warn of measles resurgence and emphasize vaccine safety

Pediatric infectious diseases experts stress the importance of vaccination against measles, one of the most contagious viruses, which is once more spreading in the United States.

15 Apr 2025

Why measles is back in the U.S. and what doctors must know now

Measles is making a troubling comeback in the U.S., driven by declining vaccination rates and rising vaccine hesitancy. Pediatric infectious disease experts provide clinical guidance to help healthcare providers recognize, manage, and prevent measles in today’s outbreak-prone environment.

14 Apr 2025

HPV vaccine uptake rises with help from AI chatbot

The first trial of an AI (Artificial Intelligence)-powered chatbot designed to inform parents about the HPV vaccine has shown that it increases vaccine uptake and engagement with health professionals.

11 Apr 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The dismantling of HHS

A week into the reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services announced by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the scope of the staff cuts and program cutbacks is starting to become clear.

10 Apr 2025

New quinoline-based antiviral shows strong promise against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers develop quinoline-based drug with inhibitory activity against the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro).

10 Apr 2025

Slashed federal funding cancels vaccine clinics amid measles surge

More than a dozen vaccination clinics were canceled in Pima County, Arizona.

9 Apr 2025

What’s lost: Trump whacks tiny agency that works to make the nation’s health care safer

Sue Sheridan's baby boy, Cal, suffered brain damage from undetected jaundice in 1995. Helen Haskell's 15-year-old son, Lewis, died after surgery in 2000 because weekend hospital staffers didn't realize he was in shock.

3 Apr 2025

Northwestern scientists develop rapid HIV test for point-of-care diagnosis

A team of Northwestern University scientists spanning disciplines have developed new technology that could lead to the creation of a rapid point-of-care test for HIV infection competitive with traditional lab-based HIV testing in a fraction of the time and without the need for a stressful wait while results are processed or confirmed in a clinical laboratory.

2 Apr 2025

Montana may start collecting immunization data again amid US measles outbreak

When epidemiologist Sophia Newcomer tries to evaluate how well Montana might be able to ward off the measles outbreak spreading across the U.S., she doesn't have much data to work with.

1 Apr 2025

UTA expert discusses the latest developments of measles outbreak in Texas

Measles is a highly contagious disease that was declared eliminated from the U.S. by the World Health Organization 25 years ago due to the success of vaccination efforts.

28 Mar 2025

The impact of ending U.S.-funded global vaccine programs

Abram Wagner, assistant professor of epidemiology and global public health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, discusses implications of the U.S. potentially ending global vaccine programs.

27 Mar 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The ax falls at HHS

As had been rumored for weeks, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a plan to reorganize the department. It involves the downsizing of its workforce, which formerly was roughly 80,000 people, by a quarter and consolidating dozens of agencies that were created and authorized by Congress.

27 Mar 2025

Report shows alarming measles resurgence in Europe and US

A recent report shows cases of measles across the World Health Organization's European Region, which includes the UK, are the highest they've been for more than 25 years. At the same time, large outbreaks of measles in the US have led to the first measles deaths there since 2015.

26 Mar 2025