Wendy Zukerman (Host)

Meanwhile, the head of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is saying that part of what's causing this current outbreak is that the vaccine loses its effectiveness over time.

Meanwhile, the head of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is saying that part of what's causing this current outbreak is that the vaccine loses its effectiveness over time.

So today on the show, how worried do you really need to be about this U.S. outbreak? What is measles doing in our body and our brains? And I'll tell you what, it's weirder than I thought. And how can we stop these outbreaks in their tracks and possibly even rid the world of measles? When it comes to measles, there's a lot of... If you have to get sick, you sure can't beat the measles.

So today on the show, how worried do you really need to be about this U.S. outbreak? What is measles doing in our body and our brains? And I'll tell you what, it's weirder than I thought. And how can we stop these outbreaks in their tracks and possibly even rid the world of measles? When it comes to measles, there's a lot of... If you have to get sick, you sure can't beat the measles.

But then there's science. Science vs. Measles is coming up just after the break. Welcome back. Today on the show, measles. So our first question is, how serious is this illness really? Because the majority of folks who get measles will recover fairly quickly. At first, you'll probably notice flu-like symptoms, coughing, sneezing, fever. This is because measles is a respiratory virus.

But then there's science. Science vs. Measles is coming up just after the break. Welcome back. Today on the show, measles. So our first question is, how serious is this illness really? Because the majority of folks who get measles will recover fairly quickly. At first, you'll probably notice flu-like symptoms, coughing, sneezing, fever. This is because measles is a respiratory virus.

A couple of days later, you might see these tiny white spots inside your mouth. They're called coplic spots. And then, of course, there's that blotchy red rash, which, fun fact, is triggered by the measles virus infecting your skin cells. In the current outbreak in the US, hundreds of folks who have gotten infected, almost 90%, were never hospitalised.

A couple of days later, you might see these tiny white spots inside your mouth. They're called coplic spots. And then, of course, there's that blotchy red rash, which, fun fact, is triggered by the measles virus infecting your skin cells. In the current outbreak in the US, hundreds of folks who have gotten infected, almost 90%, were never hospitalised.

So you can understand why people are saying... What's the big deal here? But the thing is, even if you get a mild case of measles, What researchers are realizing is that this virus is actually doing something pretty weird that could have consequences on your health for years to come.

So you can understand why people are saying... What's the big deal here? But the thing is, even if you get a mild case of measles, What researchers are realizing is that this virus is actually doing something pretty weird that could have consequences on your health for years to come.

This is Peter Kasson. He's a professor who studies viruses at Georgia Institute of Technology.

This is Peter Kasson. He's a professor who studies viruses at Georgia Institute of Technology.

Peter told me that researchers have known for a while now that after young kids get the measles and get over it, they're more likely to contract other infectious diseases afterwards. So things like colds and flus. And sometimes this can actually get so bad that the kids get hospitalized.

Peter told me that researchers have known for a while now that after young kids get the measles and get over it, they're more likely to contract other infectious diseases afterwards. So things like colds and flus. And sometimes this can actually get so bad that the kids get hospitalized.

And so this idea emerged that maybe measles is going after your immune system, or what Peter calls... Immunological destruction.

And so this idea emerged that maybe measles is going after your immune system, or what Peter calls... Immunological destruction.

It all started when there was this outbreak of measles in an Orthodox Protestant community in the Netherlands. This is a tight-knit community that isn't so crash-hot on vaccines. And so during this particular outbreak, researchers took blood samples from 82 kids who hadn't been infected yet. They then followed the children. 93% of them ended up getting measles.

It all started when there was this outbreak of measles in an Orthodox Protestant community in the Netherlands. This is a tight-knit community that isn't so crash-hot on vaccines. And so during this particular outbreak, researchers took blood samples from 82 kids who hadn't been infected yet. They then followed the children. 93% of them ended up getting measles.

Under half of those had a mild case, the others were pretty severe. On average, seven weeks after the kids got infected, the researchers took blood samples again. And they basically wanted to know how exactly was measles messing with their immune system? So as part of the study, they zoomed in on these immune cells that make antibodies. I talked to Peter about them.

Under half of those had a mild case, the others were pretty severe. On average, seven weeks after the kids got infected, the researchers took blood samples again. And they basically wanted to know how exactly was measles messing with their immune system? So as part of the study, they zoomed in on these immune cells that make antibodies. I talked to Peter about them.