Study Points to Years-Long Immune System Woes from Measles
Original article from: Los Angeles Times posted on May 7, 2015. By Eryn Brown
Scientists have known for decades that having measles suppresses kids’ immune systems for several weeks or months, leaving them ill-equipped to fight off pneumonia, bronchitis, diarrheal diseases and other infections.
Now a team of researchers has suggested that the measles virus may also confer a longer-lasting sort of “immune-amnesia” that makes it harder for people to stave off other illnesses for two years or more.
That re-emphasizes the importance of vaccination, said biologist Michael Mina, lead author of a paper detailing the research that was published Thursday in the journal Science.