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Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality

Science. 2015 May 8;348(6235):694-9. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa3662. Epub 2015 May 7.

Abstract

Immunosuppression after measles is known to predispose people to opportunistic infections for a period of several weeks to months. Using population-level data, we show that measles has a more prolonged effect on host resistance, extending over 2 to 3 years. We find that nonmeasles infectious disease mortality in high-income countries is tightly coupled to measles incidence at this lag, in both the pre- and post-vaccine eras. We conclude that long-term immunologic sequelae of measles drive interannual fluctuations in nonmeasles deaths. This is consistent with recent experimental work that attributes the immunosuppressive effects of measles to depletion of B and T lymphocytes. Our data provide an explanation for the long-term benefits of measles vaccination in preventing all-cause infectious disease. By preventing measles-associated immune memory loss, vaccination protects polymicrobial herd immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Child
  • Child Mortality*
  • Child, Preschool
  • England / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Immunomodulation*
  • Incidence
  • Lymphocyte Depletion
  • Male
  • Measles / epidemiology*
  • Measles / immunology*
  • Measles / prevention & control
  • Measles Vaccine / administration & dosage
  • Measles Vaccine / immunology*
  • Opportunistic Infections / immunology
  • Opportunistic Infections / mortality*
  • Opportunistic Infections / prevention & control*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Time Factors
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Vaccination
  • Wales / epidemiology

Substances

  • Measles Vaccine