A new study from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology has examined the body's T cells. These immune cells help fight infections.
The results have been published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine according to SciTechDaily.
Shared characteristics
The researchers took a closer look at viruses from the paramyxovirus family, which includes both the measles virus and the Nipah virus.
T cells recognize specific parts of a virus. Some of these parts change very little, even as the virus evolves.
Also read: Science reveals what cold showers really do to your body
As a result, several related viruses may share common characteristics.
According to the researchers, this may enable the immune system to respond to more than one virus at a time.
Blood samples provided answers
In the study, the researchers analyzed blood samples from 31 individuals who had all received the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella.
They first mapped which parts of the measles virus the participants' T cells responded to. They then investigated whether the same cells could recognize the Nipah virus.
Also read: What Cristiano Ronaldo eats to stay at the top of his game
The researchers also gained new insights into how the measles vaccine affects T cells, an area that has previously received relatively little attention.
Vaccine development
None of the participants had been infected with the Nipah virus. Nevertheless, the analyses showed that some of their T cells were able to recognize parts of the virus.
The explanation is that the measles virus and the Nipah virus share certain structural features.
As a result, T cells trained through measles vaccination may, in some cases, respond to both viruses.
Also read: Yawning for no reason? It could be an early sign of a migraine
T cells from individuals vaccinated against measles may therefore exhibit a degree of cross-reactivity against the far more deadly Nipah virus.
According to the researchers, this knowledge could eventually be used in the development of vaccines that provide protection against several related viruses at the same time.