Measles can erase immune system's memoryNovember 1, 2019 - 12:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Measles can erase the immune system's memory, leaving us vulnerable to diseases we were previously protected against, new research has found, according to CNN. Two separate studies, published Thursday, October 31 in the journals Science and Science Immunology, found that the highly contagious and potentially fatal measles virus can cause "immune amnesia," removing antibodies that had protected patients from other illnesses. Researchers from the Harvard Medical School, who led the Science study, examined blood samples from children before and after getting measles. They found that the virus wipes out 11% to 73% of patients' protective antibodies, putting them at greater risk of viral and bacterial strains they were previously immune to. This means that measles can effectively undo the protection provided by vaccines against other infections like flu or even tuberculosis -- and measles outbreaks can thus cause spikes in other illnesses. "Imagine that your immunity against pathogens is like carrying around a book of photographs of criminals, and someone punched a bunch of holes in it," said Michael Mina, one of the study's primary authors, in a Harvard Medical School press release. "It would then be much harder to recognize that criminal if you saw them, especially if the holes are punched over important features for recognition, like the eyes or mouth." Surviving measles patients do eventually regain these lost immunities -- but they need to be re-exposed to the illnesses to build up those defenses. It's as if you had to meet the criminals missing from your book all over again, one by one -- a long and risky process, during which you remain vulnerable to whatever these criminals want to inflict on you. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |