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Absorption of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine has declined in recent years
Mumps – a contagious viral infection that causes swelling of the glands – made the news this week after a confirmed outbreak in two universities.
A total of 223 suspected cases were reported, of which 40 were confirmed, between Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham.
This number has now reached 241 suspected cases, of which 51 confirmed by Public Health England (PHE).
BBC News sought to find out why and if university students were still in danger.
Where does this happen?
The figures seem particularly high in Nottingham.
According to PHE, the latest figures show that mumps cases in England decreased in 2018, with 1,024 confirmed cases, compared to 1,796 in 2017.
A handful of cases have also been reported at the Universities of Bath, Hull and Liverpool and the United States, including at Temple University in Philadelphia, which has recorded about 100 people with signs of infection.
There does not seem to be any reason why Nottingham's numbers are much higher, although experts have claimed that it could be that there are more in the city that are not at the same time. 39; shelter.
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Students outside of an emergency clinic at Temple University in Philadelphia
Professor Jonathan Ball, of the University of Nottingham, a specialist in viruses and vaccines and viral treatments, said that this affected students because they had gathered "close to each other for a period of time. long enough".
This includes university dormitories, lecture halls or even nightclubs, which organize special student nights.
"The virus [could] to broadcast fairly easily, especially if there are a relatively large number of people who have not been vaccinated, "he said.
A student in marine biology from the University of Hull, who did not want to give his name, said that he had started to feel sick during a field visit to the island of Cumbrae in Scotland.
He said that a local doctor had diagnosed mumps but had also sent a stamp for confirmation, as mumps is a notifiable disease in England and Wales.
The 19-year-old, who said he knew at least two other people who had the symptoms, had to be isolated and taken to his home by avoiding public transport because he was at risk of becoming infected.
Can you catch it if you have been vaccinated?
Yes. Dr. Vanessa MacGregor, from PHE, said the numbers had increased recently, with teens and young adults not having received two doses of the RRO vaccine "particularly vulnerable".
According to the NHS, the vaccine is part of the routine childhood immunization program, which involves giving a dose to the child aged 12 to 13 months and one second to three years and four months.
Dr. MacGregor urged people who have not received the MMR vaccine – or who have received only one dose – to be sure to consider the MMR vaccination offer. (measles, mumps and rubella).
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Students in Philadelphia took the MMR jab
The Hull University student also stated that it was "strange" that he contracted the infection because he had received both doses and that this had been confirmed by his father.
According to Professor Ball, the anti-mumps part of the vaccine is the least effective.
He said: "For the mumps vaccine, about 88% of vaccinated people will be protected, compared to 98% for measles vaccine.
"If you then add unvaccinated people, it's easy to see how a relatively contagious virus, such as mumps, can be transmitted as easily."
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Mumps was once common in children before vaccination began in the 1980s
He added that the situation was even more complicated because some infected people had little or no symptoms.
However, if the majority of them were vaccinated, people likely to contract the infection would benefit from "collective immunity", the level considered by experts to protect a population from the disease.
But, as Professor Ball says, "If you start reducing the number of people vaccinated, there will simply be no flock protection."
Why is the use of MMR vaccine decreasing?
According to the editor of BBC Health, Hugh Pym, the reason for the decline in absorption in many countries was unclear.
The "damaging" work of the discredited scientist and the doctor struck off Andrew Wakefield in the 1990s "helped fuel the fire of the anti-vaccine movement," according to Professor Ball.
In 1998, the physician led a study linking the MMR vaccine to autism, which had an impact on immunization coverage. This rate dropped to around 80% in the late 1990s and 79% in 2003.
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The GMC ruled that Andrew Wakefield had acted "irresponsibly" in his research
Rates have partially recovered after refuting searches, but the volume of anti-vaccine sentiments on social media has increased in recent years.
This has led Health and Social Affairs Secretary Matt Hanbad to call for new laws to force social media companies to remove content promoting false information about vaccines.
Professor Ball said vaccines rarely had "side effects" and even if they did, the benefits outweighed them.
"Because we are at a golden age of vaccination, we have forgotten how harmful these viral infections can be, sometimes even deadly," he said.
Are students and others still in danger?
Dr. Natalie Riddell, lecturer in Immunology and Aging at the University of Surrey, said reducing the number of people vaccinated against any contagious disease was dangerous.
"Babies and immuno-compromised people [such as the elderly or those receiving chemotherapy] rely on the rest of us to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease, "she said.
"It's totally useless for people to risk their friends and family from getting sick, or even dying, from measles or mumps, because there is a safe and effective vaccine to protect against both."
Professor Ball said that the low vaccination rate in the world has led to an increase in mumps and measles outbreaks, and that we should "expect things to get worse" before we start. they do not improve.
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The University of Nottingham has been affected by the mumps virus
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