[Characteristics of the virus and of measles vaccines (author's transl)].

Characteristics of measles virus and some aspects of virus-cell interaction are reported. For their interest, findings from recents investigations on comparison between SSPE isolates and wild strains are summarized. Both inactivated and live attenuated measles vaccines are then briefly described. The former has been used in the U.S.A. from 1963 to 1968 and discontinued thereafter mainly for safety problems, the latter, prepared with Schwarz or with Moraten strain, are in use today for the prophylaxis against measles.