MicroMysteries Podcast

Measles: The phantom that never left


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Once declared eliminated. Now making a comeback.

In this episode of MicroMysteries, we dive into the story of measles - one of the most contagious viruses ever known. From its ancient origins in the Persian Empire to its deadly return across Europe today, we unravel how this virus works, how it tricks your immune system, and why itโ€™s reemerging now.

๐Ÿ‘๏ธโ€๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ Inside this episode:
๐Ÿ“œ The 9th-century diagnosis that mistook measles for smallpox
๐Ÿฉธ Wild historical โ€œtreatmentsโ€ including red cloth and mercury
๐Ÿง  What is immune amnesia and why it matters
๐Ÿ“Š Why Europe saw a 45x spike in cases in just one year
๐Ÿ’‰ And how close we really came to wiping it out

This marks the beginning of Season 1 โ€“ Part 2 as we move from bacterial killers to viral threats ๐Ÿ”ฌ

Next up: the poxes - smallpox and chickenpox. Two viruses. One eradicated. One still hiding in your nerves.

๐ŸŽง Hit play, subscribe, and stay curious. Because some microbes donโ€™t stay in history books.

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MicroMysteries PodcastBy Jackie Galbert