Possible Mumps Outbreak in Ocean County
The Ocean County Health Department, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, is currently investigating multiple reports of mumps in Lakewood Township. The majority of cases is in fully immunized young adults and may have spread to household and other close contacts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children and adults of vaccination age have two (2) doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Strict enforcement of vaccination is important for preventing and stopping outbreaks. Mumps vaccine (usually MMR), is the best way to prevent mumps. Children should be given the first dose of MMR vaccine soon after the first birthday (12 to 15 months of age). The second dose is recommended before the start of kindergarten.
Symptoms of mumps include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite; followed by swelling of salivary glands. The parotid salivary glands (which are located within your cheek, near your jaw line, below your ears) are most frequently affected. While rare, other severe complications are possible – seeking medical attention at the onset of symptoms is important.
Mumps occurs worldwide and there are still outbreaks in the United States. Humans are the only known host to mumps. Outbreaks can occur in highly immunized populations, most often in people who have not been immunized; however, there have been outbreaks in individuals who are fully immunized.
The mumps virus replicates in the upper respiratory tract and is spread through direct contact with respiratory secretions or saliva. The infectious period or time that an infected person can transmit mumps to a non-infected person is from 3 days before symptoms appear to about 9 days after the symptoms appear. The incubation time, which is the period from when a person is exposed to virus to the onset of any symptoms, can vary from 16 to 18 days (range 12-25 days).
Individuals, whether they have been vaccinated against mumps or not, and exhibit the above symptoms, need to seek medical attention immediately to be evaluated. Anyone who is being considered having a possible case of mumps needs to be appropriately excluded from social settings that may enable transmission, and should be immediately reported to the Ocean County Health Department at 732-341-9700, ext. 7560. Anyone with mumps should not go back to child care, school or work for at least 5 days after symptoms begin.
It is extremely important that individuals who may have been in contact with a suspect mumps case should be educated on the signs and symptoms of mumps and should seek medicalattention if any of these symptoms begins.
For more information on mumps, you can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov.
