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Measles virus, immune control, and persistence

Diane E Griffin1, Wen-Hsuan Lin, Chien-Hsiung Pan

  • 1W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. dgriffin@jhsph.edu

FEMS Microbiology Reviews
|February 10, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Measles virus (MeV) causes child mortality through secondary infections and persistent RNA in the body. Understanding immune clearance of MeV RNA is key to preventing measles complications.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Measles causes significant child morbidity and mortality globally, primarily due to secondary infections linked to measles-induced immune suppression.
  • Young children face risks of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a fatal neurological disease from persistent measles virus (MeV) infection.
  • While CD8(+) T cells clear infectious MeV during acute infection, MeV RNA persists for weeks to months post-clearance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the immune mechanisms responsible for clearing measles virus (MeV) RNA from various bodily sites.
  • To elucidate how persistent MeV infection contributes to measles-induced immunosuppression and neurological complications like SSPE.
  • To understand the long-term viral persistence and its implications for disease development and immunity.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on analyzing the persistence of measles virus (MeV) RNA after the clearance of infectious virus.
  • It examines the role of immune responses, particularly CD8(+) T cells, in viral clearance.
  • Investigates viral mechanisms enabling persistent infection in neurons, including trans-synaptic spread and mutation accumulation.

Main Results:

  • Measles virus (MeV) RNA persists in blood, secretions, and tissues for extended periods after infectious virus clearance.
  • This prolonged viral RNA presence correlates with measles-induced immunosuppression and lifelong immunity.
  • MeV can establish persistent infections in neurons, independent of infectious virus formation, leading to neurological disease.

Conclusions:

  • Identifying immune mechanisms for MeV RNA clearance is crucial for understanding measles pathogenesis.
  • Persistent MeV RNA contributes to measles-associated immunosuppression and the risk of neurological sequelae like SSPE.
  • Further research into viral clearance pathways will illuminate strategies for managing persistent MeV infections and associated diseases.

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