The “Virus Camp” is a two-day, one-night workshop that began in 2004 as part of the Japan Society for Virology's Young Researchers Training Program.

At the 19th Virology Camp in Yugawara, Professor Takeda gave a lecture on virology.

https://jsv.umin.jp/kenkyukai/kenkyukai250409.html

June 16-17, 2025

Location: Newell City Yugawara

107 Izumi, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Speaker: Makoto Takeda

A Virology Lecture You Can Hear Right Now: From the Glittering Front Lines of Research to Behind the Scenes

Title: “Measles Virus and Its Relatives”

Measles virus is the most contagious virus known. It also has strong pathogenicity, with a case fatality rate of several percent in developing countries and about 0.1% even in developed countries. Measles virus is a morbillivirus that infects humans. The genus Morbillivirus also includes viruses that infect cattle, dogs, whales, seals, and bats, each with a clearly defined host range. However, outbreaks across different animal orders can occur. 

All morbilliviruses share two common receptors: SLAM and nectin-4. Remarkably, measles virus has shown no antigenic change, and the effectiveness of the live vaccine that has been used for more than half a century has not diminished in the slightest. In contrast, antigenic cross-reactivity among different morbilliviruses is limited. 

In this lecture, I would like to take a virological perspective to explore measles virus and its relatives in greater depth.