Mumps/MMR

General information

Incidence of mumps in teenagers and young adults has gradually increased from 372 confirmed cases in 1999 to 3756 confirmed cases in the first 9 months of 2004.

The group most affected are those young people born between 1982 and 1990.

This group were too young to be offered the initial MMR vaccine and to benefit from the two dose regime introduced in 1996 which is important in securing good levels of protection.

Mumps is an acute viral illness characterised by parotid swelling which may be unilateral or bilateral; some cases are asymptomatic. The incubation period is 14-21 days and mumps is transmissible from several days before the parotid swelling to several days after it appears. Complications include pancreatitis, oophoritis, orchitis, meningitis and encephalitis (Department of Health 1996).

There have been several outbreaks in Higher Education establishments during the last year.

Dr Mary Ramsey of the Health Protection Agency (http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles) has recommended that those in vulnerable age groups who have not received MMR should be offered MMR vaccination of two doses with a minimum period of 3 months between each dose.

Following this recommendation we are suggesting that all HYMS students seek advice from their GP to ensure they are satisfactorily protected by two MMR vaccinations against mumps. The vaccination also gives protection against measles and rubella.

Unprotected medical students may be excluded from clinical practice if there are known cases of mumps within the group.

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