For a patient with a measles infection, the health effects can last well beyond the acute illness. The measles virus destroys memory B and T cells that help the immune system recognize previously encountered pathogens, producing “immune amnesia,” according to an analysis in CIDRAP. As a result, patients can lose protection acquired through prior infections or vaccination and become susceptible again to bacterial and viral illnesses. Studies suggest measles survivors may lose 11%–73% of their …
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