Genomics Revolution Podcast

Allison Slutz & Cole Filer
Episode 40: Measles & Morbillivirus

 

Hi all. Welcome back to another episode of Genomics Revolution. Today you are hosted by Cole Filer and myself, Allison Slutz. We are part of the 2020 Hiram College genetics course and will be talking about the Measles morbillivirus, the virus that causes the measles.

 

The genus that morbillivirus is apart of, is the family Paramyxoviridae (1). The measles virus genome typically consists of 115,894 nucleotides, and encodes for 8 proteins: 6 structural (N, P, M, F, H, L) and 2 non-structural (V and C) (5). This family has enveloped viruses that have negative non-segmented single-stranded RNA genomes (1). This family also has several members that cause several issues. These are highly infectious in their nature and spread by the respiratory system (1). At the cellular level, infections from morbillivirus are initially caused by the binding of hemagglutinin glycoprotein to cellular receptors and the two receptors found in wild-type morbilliviruses are CD150 also referred to as signaling lymphocyte activation molecule F1, and the poliovirus receptor-like 4 (1).

 

One of the key findings that emerged from the sequenced virus genome is the number of different strains that exist, and tracking the mutation of the virus, which would allow for better development of vaccines and prevention of the spreading of measles.

 

Before moving forward, it’s important to understand the history of measles. The first documentation was by a Persian doctor in 9th century AD (3). Later, in 1757, a Scottish physician by the name of Francis Home demonstrated that measles are caused by a blood-borne infectious agent (3). A notable date for America is the first domestically reported case. During the time of the European immigration in 1765, the measles was first reported (3).

 

We should care about this virus because if we didn’t understand how it was transmitted and how to prevent it, it would kill a lot of people, and a large portion of those would be children. Measles are transmitted by coughing and sneezing, this is because the virus lives in the nose and throat of a person with this illness (2). This virus has the potential to live in the air for two hours and up to 90% of people who do not have immunity and come in contact with an infected person, will contract measles (2).

Just for the sake of reference, there are roughly 200 deaths per 100,000 cases in immunocompetent people, and around 100 cases of encephalitis per 100,000. Additionally, 1 in every 20 children that contract measles end up developing pneumonia as a complication, which happens to be the most common cause of death in young children from measles (4).

 

As previously stated, measles cause a significant amount of people to die, specifically children. The current vaccine used in the United States is the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella developed in 1968 by John Enders and colleagues (3). In 2014, there was an increase of death from the measles (1). This could be correlated to some individuals and groups within first world countries that don’t believe that vaccines are necessary. Viruses do not discriminate between social classes and a person’s overall wealth. This is why everyone should protect themselves with vaccines. Vaccines are the best way to prevent the measles. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Genomics Revolution on the measles. Please continue to tune in to hear our peers on other notable viral genomes that have molded our history.

 

Works Cited:

1. Vries RD, Duprex W, Swart RD. Morbillivirus Infections: An Introduction. 2015;7(2):699–706.

2. Transmission of Measles. 2018 Feb 5 [accessed 2020 Apr 10]. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/transmission.html

3. Measles. 2018 Feb 5 [accessed 2020 Apr 9]. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/history.html

4. Measles Data and Statistics. Center for Disease Control. 2019 Apr 16 [accessed 2020 Apr 9]. www.cdc.gov/measles/downloads/measlesdataandstatsslideset.pdf

5. Phan MVT, Schapendonk CME, Munnink BBO, Koopmans MPG, Swart RLD, Cotten M. Complete Genome Sequences of Six Measles Virus Strains. Genome Announcements. 2018 [accessed 2020 Apr 9];6(13). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5876482/. doi:10.1128/genomea.00184-18

 

Cool Audio That Goes with This Episode:

​“I’m a Virus.” Sciencemusicvideos, 2012. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYf_Sl8W3qY&t=2s

​“D.J. Tools Let’s Get Ready to Rumble Sound Effect.” All Sounds, 2015. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozol5AYYg5c

​Paxton, Tom. “I’ve got the measles.” I’ve got a yo-yo., Pax Records, 1997. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyJ9Tvv8aWw