For the first time, scientists have identified human antibodies capable of neutralizing the measles virus\u2014a discovery that could lead to a new approach for the prevention and treatment of this highly contagious disease. This was reported by Reuters.<\/p>\n\n
The antibodies attach to key sites on the measles virus and prevent it from entering the body’s cells, according to a study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n \u201cThese antibodies act prophylactically\u2014to protect against initial infection\u2014and also work as a treatment after exposure to the virus,\u201d said study leader Erica Ollmann Saphire of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in California.<\/p>\n\n Previously, scientists used a technique called cryo-electron microscopy to obtain the first images of how mouse antibodies bind to the measles virus. These initial studies showed which parts of the virus are vulnerable to antibody attack.<\/p>\n\n In the new study, researchers isolated measles antibodies from a woman vaccinated against the virus many years ago. In her blood, they found antibodies that bind to two key structures of the virus\u2014the fusion protein and the attachment protein “H”\u2014thereby neutralizing it.<\/p>\n\n According to the study, the infusion of these antibodies led to a 500-fold lower viral load in rodents infected with measles when administered both before exposure to the virus and within 24 to 48 hours after infection.<\/p>\n\n The researchers found that one of the antibodies\u2014named 3A12\u2014made the circulating virus virtually undetectable.<\/p>\n\n While more research is needed, scientists describe the antibodies as a promising tool in the fight against measles. New three-dimensional images of their structure could help develop the first treatment against the virus to be used both before and after contact with the infection.<\/p>\n\n \u201cAntibodies against the measles virus would be particularly useful for people with weakened immune systems and for people who are not yet fully vaccinated, including young children who are too young for vaccination,\u201d the authors state.<\/p>\n\n \u201cThese groups currently have no protection other than herd immunity,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n\n The study comes amid growing vaccine skepticism due to misinformation, leading to a decline in vaccination rates in several communities. The US has already reported the highest number of measles cases in decades.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For the first time, scientists have identified human antibodies capable of neutralizing the measles virus\u2014a discovery that could lead to a new approach for the prevention and treatment of this highly contagious disease. This was reported by Reuters. The antibodies attach to key sites on the measles virus and prevent it from entering the body’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jet_sm_ready_style":"","_jet_sm_style":"","_jet_sm_controls_values":"","_jet_sm_fonts_collection":"","_jet_sm_fonts_links":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n