Measles infection can cause long-term immune system “amnesia”

Measles attacks the body’s immune system, leaving it vulnerable to secondary complications

A measles infection begins in the lungs, where it hijacks cells known as macrophages and begins to replicate itself. It then uses a Trojan horse method to enter the lymph nodes, where it attacks vulnerable T and B cells. Symptoms include fever and rashes.

Measles is one of the most contagious preventable diseases

The virus’s ability to persist in the air for up to two hours means an infected person could enter a room, leave, and two hours later infect someone else entering the room. Its location in the body’s upper respiratory tract also makes it easy for viral particles to be sneezed or coughed into the air.

The rare but deadly time bomb lurking after a measles infection

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, also known as Dawson disease, is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative condition caused by a dormant measles infection. Typically, patients recover from measles normally, with the symptoms of SSPE only appearing years or even decades later. The incidence rate in unvaccinated pediatric patients is estimated to be around one in 1,300.

Long-term memory issues among West Nile survivors may be from immune response, not virus

Rodent research suggests that long-term neurological complications such as fatigue, weakness, difficulty walking, and memory loss, may be due to the immune system systematically destroying parts of neurons in the brain in response to the infection, rather than due to viral infection itself.

Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000

Following a decades-long vaccination campaign, health officials declared victory over measles. This formal definition does not mean limited outbreaks no longer occur, but that ongoing endemic transmission for longer than 12 months has been prevented.

Vitamin A does not cure measles, but it helps reduce the symptoms

Also known as retinol, vitamin A plays a significant role in supporting the body’s immune system. The virus attacks the immune system, and studies have shown a correlation between vitamin deficiency and severity of measles symptoms. Supplemental vitamin A doses are now a part of recommended treatment for pediatric patients.

Attenuated vaccines introduce a weakened version of the virus into the body

Some vaccines, like those for measles, rely on weakened versions of a virus. These weakened pathogens are introduced into the body, triggering an immune response and helping the immune system learn to protect itself against stronger versions of the virus. (This also explains why some vaccines make you feel under the weather.)

Measles evolved from an ancient cattle disease as early as 3,000 years ago

Genetic analysis suggests that the closest modern relative of measles is a livestock virus known as rinderpest, with the viral strains diverging between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago. The timing coincided with the rise of major cities above 250,000 people, offering a novel transmission route for the newly mutated measles virus.

A technical look at the measles virus and its life cycle

The measles virus is made up of a single strand of RNA, packaged inside an envelope that varies in shape and size. A negative-sense paramyxovirus—the same family as mumps—the virus is encased in proteins that help it attach to immune cells inside the body.

Epstein-Barr virus—the cause of 'kissing disease' mononucleosis—may be the leading cause of MS

A Harvard study with data from more than 10 million US military personnel found that people that contracted Epstein-Barr virus had a roughly 32-fold increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis. The work, published in 2022, found that Infection of the virus preceded MS onset by a median of five years, raising questions about better Epstein-Barr virus management and potential disease prevention.

Multiple sclerosis means 'many scars'

That's a reference to the scarring or lesions that occur in the brain, spinal cord, and elsewhere whenever the immune system has a flare-up. The immune system attacks the myelin because it incorrectly responds as if it's a threat, damaging the body's ability to transmit electrical signals effectively from areas of the body to the brain.

Seasonal allergies don't always show up in childhood

The human immune system may become sensitized to pollen and develop an allergic reaction to it after prolonged exposure. Other triggers for new seasonal allergies may include exposure to new environments and changing climate conditions that affect allergy season length and conditions for various pollens.

Chronic inflammation can cause cellular damage and could lead to cancer

Over time, this cellular defense system can inadvertently damage cells and tissues when it's in this heightened alarm mode over a prolonged period. This occurs because, when immune cells are sent somewhere without a true target, they may attack healthy cells and tissues.

Leprosy symptoms may appear 20 years after infection, so contact tracing isn't possible

The standard approach for tracking disease transmission isn't realistic for this disease because symptoms may take decades to manifest. As a result, disease transmission is still not fully understood.

Ménière's disease is a long-term, inner ear disorder that causes vertigo

This severe vertigo-causing disorder may involve long and recurrent episodes of vertigo. Symptoms of this disease include balance issues and hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. It typically affects only one ear and is linked to a buildup of excess fluid in the inner ear.

Tattoos remain visible on your skin thanks to immune cells called macrophages

How to think yourself into health

Can the right thoughts lead to a stronger immune system? Neuroimmunologists like Hai Qi study how drugs targeting the brain, as well as thought exercises, can prompt stronger immune responses to infection. This six-minute video investigates the radical claims.

Paralysis from polio occurs in under 1% of infections

About 1 in 200 cases of infection causes paralysis. For paralysis to occur, the virus travels from the throat, intestines, and gut to infect specific cells within the spinal cord and brain stem that control movements. Within hours of invading the nervous system, paralysis can occur. The virus can be present in bodily secretions and stool for multiple weeks post-infection.

Malaria case in Maryland stumped doctors in 2023—leading to the wrong treatment

When the state had its first locally acquired malaria case in over 40 years, the patient was misdiagnosed with a more common tick-borne infection, leading to weeks-long treatment for the wrong infection. The patient had symptoms that could occur with malaria or with babesiosis, a disease caused by Babesia parasites and transmitted by ticks in the US.

CRISPR-Cas systems act as genetic memory banks for defending bacterial cells

When viruses called phages inject DNA into bacteria, some bacterial species store bits of this DNA in their own genomes. This allows them to recognize and destroy the same virus if it attacks again.

False memories can form during recall when new information is incorporated

Often formed due to suggestion and misinformation, false memories can lead to serious consequences, such as wrongful convictions. The time between an event and recalling it affects one's susceptibility to false memories.

Autoimmune diseases affect between 5% and 10% of people worldwide, but their causes remain unknown

Autoantibodies—which attack the body—may be detectable in the body years before a patient develops symptoms, but some people may have detectable levels yet never go on to develop an autoimmune disease. This video discusses this and other unsolved mysteries with autoimmune disease.

Shingles vaccine may slow biological aging in older adults

Research published in 2025 that analyzed data from thousands of older adults found that those who had received the shingles vaccine exhibited signs of slower biological aging, such as lower levels of inflammation and slower epigenetic aging, than those who had not been vaccinated.

Microgravity can alter the evolution of viruses and bacteria

Experiments conducted on the International Space Station have shown that microgravity environments can delay viral and bacterial infections and induce mutations not seen on Earth. These mutations could have implications for long-term space missions and human health and suggest space can serve as a testing ground for developing new therapeutic approaches.

Anosmia is the total loss of the sense of smell

This type of loss—due to disease or trauma—has ripple effects, including an altered or limited sense of taste. This video details the anatomy and physiology of our sense of smell and taste and how these senses are interrelated.

Losing a brain-computer interface can trigger lasting psychological distress

A clinical trial participant with severe epilepsy described becoming “one” with her implant after it gave her unprecedented control over her seizures. When the device was removed due to the company shutting down, she experienced deep emotional trauma and a sense of personal loss.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Ebola infects and disables immune cells, triggering a cascade of events that leads to small blood clots throughout the body, weakening blood vessels and interrupting blood flow to key organs.

Marburg virus, related to Ebola, is also extremely deadly, and has no available vaccine.

Recent research found that the brain doesn't seem to massively rewire following amputation—upending earlier beliefs about the cause of phantom limb pain.

Poison ivy can cause rashes year-round since all parts of the plant contain urushiol, the oil that triggers our allergic response.

About 12.5% of US adults experience a phobia in their lifetime, a diagnosis that hinges on the intense fear interfering with daily life and persisting for at least six months.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

Radioactive elements can introduce software errors because the ionizing radiation they produce can detach electrons from atoms, and computer code relies on the distribution of electrons.

See images of medical cases of firework injuries shared on this 'Instagram for doctors.' (Warning: Graphic content)

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

In 2019, a laptop loaded with six of the worst malware in history and described as 'an exhibit of historical weaponry' sold for $1.3M.

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Scientists can determine Earth's past climate conditions by analyzing air trapped in microscopic bubbles within ice cores—columns of compressed snow layers that build up over hundreds of thousands of years.

Volcanoes 'die' when their supply of magma runs out, if they are shifted away from their underlying magma reservoir, or if they get clogged by collapsing or their magma cooling back into rock.

Crows are believed to have intelligence on par with a seven-year-old child and demonstrate complex behaviors, from problem-solving with tools to recognizing human faces.

Learn more about the history of fireworks, which dates back to an accidental invention during an alchemist's quest for information about immortality.

Salvador Dalí believed he was his own dead brother, who had died nine months before he was born

The Mona Lisa's celebrity status and repeated restorations have obscured what made the painting so revolutionary for its time

NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama spent the 2025 summer training with monks in central China to enhance his body and mind.

Budweiser stores yeast derived from the original 1800s strain in a secret bunker, which only the Head of Yeast Management can access—not even the CEO