In 2023, measles claimed an estimated 107,000 lives, yet vaccination has prevented a staggering 60 million deaths since 2000. Despite this, measles remains a pressing issue in many developing countries, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia. On this episode of Transmissible: A Public Health Podcast, we dive deep into the science behind this highly contagious disease. From its pathogenesis and epidemiology to the life-saving MMR vaccine and the fascinating history of measles—including its 10th-century description as being "more dreaded than smallpox"—host Jessica unpacks it all.

Drawing on her career as a contractor with CDC, her experience with rare pathogens, and her passion for public health, Jessica sheds light on why measles remains a global challenge. Whether you're a public health enthusiast or just curious about infectious diseases, this episode promises to be both informative and engaging. Tune in to learn something new about a virus that's been plaguing humanity for 5,000 years.

Citations:

https://asm.org/articles/2019/may/measles-and-immune-amnesia#:~:text=During%20the%20acute%20phase%20of,new%2C%20MV%2Dspecific%20lymphocytes.

https://www.cdc.gov/pinkbook/hcp/table-of-contents/chapter-13-measles.html (vaccine safety info)

https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson3/section2.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1045187001000589

https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines/measles-mumps-and-rubella-virus-vaccine-live

https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/priorix

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/hcp/about.html#vaccine-safety

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/308400#google_vignette

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0755498222000422

https://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-95742010000400013

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1358&context=thebridge
Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination and Autism: A Nationwide Cohort Study: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 170, No 8
A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination and Autism | New England Journal of Medicine
Measles cases surge worldwide, infecting 10.3 million people in 2023

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