Another Reason to Fear Measles

As parents, we all want to protect our children and one of the first things we do is vaccinate them. Now a new study again validates that choice. They reveal that an infection of measles wipes out a person's immunological memory. That means for years after people recover, they remain vulnerable to other pathogens. In fact, kids do die from other illnesses after a measles infection.

In the new study, scientists looked at the immune systems of unvaccinated Dutch children after measles infection. They examined the children's B-cells. These cells produce antibodies that bind to and inactivate viruses or transfer them to other cells for destruction. But many of these children lost their memory B-cells. Then researchers looked at the trillions of antibodies that B-cells make in a drop of blood before and after a measles infection.

Using a technique called VirScan, scientists could in essence see the antibodies' history. The more diverse the antibodies, the more pathogens they had fought off. But these kids had lost up to seventy percent of antibody diversity. When researchers then looked at Dutch children who were either vaccinated or did not get the virus, these kids retained ninety percent of their antibodies.

If you're on the fence about vaccinating your children, get educated with good science. Talk to your pediatrician and take advantage of the MMR vaccine.