Measles is a highly contagious
viral disease that remains the leading
vaccine-preventable cause of child mortality worldwide. Deaths from
measles are due largely to an increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial and
viral infections, attributed to a prolonged state of immune suppression. Several abnormalities of the immune system have been described, including changes in lymphocyte number and function, shifts in
cytokine responses, immunomodulatory effects of
interleukin-10, down regulation of
interleukin-12, impaired antigen presentation, and altered
interferon alpha/beta signaling pathways. Although the current
vaccine is very effective, knowledge of the molecular basis of the immune responses to measles virus could contribute to the development of a safer, more immunogenic
measles vaccine. However, the safety of new
measles vaccines must be carefully investigated, as two
measles vaccines have resulted in unintended immunologic consequences: atypical
measles following administration of the
formalin-inactivated
measles vaccine and increased mortality in girls following administration of high-titer
measles vaccines.