Researchers Map How Measles Virus Spreads in Human Brain
Published:16 Jan.2024 Source:Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic researchers mapped how the measles virus mutated and spread in the brain of a person who succumbed to a rare, lethal brain disease. New cases of this disease, which is a complication of the measles virus, may occur as measles reemerges among the unvaccinated, say researchers.
They studied the brain of a person who had contracted measles as a child and had succumbed to SSPE years later as an adult. The researchers discovered that, after the measles virus entered the brain, its genome -- the complete set of genetic material for the virus -- began to change in harmful ways. The genome replicated, creating other genomes that were slightly different. Then, these genomes replicated again -- resulting in more genomes that were each a little different as well. The virus did this multiple times, creating a population of varied genomes.
The next steps in this research are to understand how specific mutations favor virus spread in the brain. These studies will be done in cultivated brain cells and in clusters of cells resembling the brain called organoids. This knowledge may help in creating effective antiviral drugs to combat virus spread in the brain. However, pharmacological intervention in advanced disease stages is challenging. Preventing SSPE through measles vaccination remains the best method.