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Philadelphia's Temple University urges its students and faculty to be vaccinated against mumps in an epidemic that has probably sickened more than 100 people in two months.
On Tuesday, the city's public health department announced 105 mumps cases associated with the Temple outbreak. Of these cases, 18 were confirmed and 87 were probable. Six of these cases were outside of Philadelphia, the department said.
The school first announced the outbreak at the end of February, just before spring break, with four confirmed cases of the disease.
ASSOCIATED PRESS A line composed mainly of students is waiting to enter a vaccination clinic on Wednesday amid an outbreak of mumps on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia.
"I think we're mastering the issue, but we're expecting a third wave," said CBS Philly, Marky Denys, director of student health at the university.
Mumps is a viral infection that is spread by infected saliva. An infected person can transmit it simply by sneezing or coughing with others, or by sharing utensils or a cup with another person, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
The university offers free vaccines to its students and faculty in walk-in clinics this week.
"Because of the nature of mumps – it can take up to three weeks for someone who has been exposed to become symptomatic – we realize that the outbreak will continue for a long time, but hopefully these clinics will help stop it, "James Garrow, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said in a statement.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Although this does not guarantee protection, vaccinated individuals generally experience less severe symptoms of the disease if it contracts. A higher number of people vaccinated also helps to limit the size, duration and spread of epidemics, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ASSOCIATED PRESS People walk on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia on Friday. Philadelphia health officials said dozens of people had contracted mumps at school.
"There is no cure for mumps and this can cause long-term health problems. Before the introduction of a vaccine, mumps was the leading cause of viral encephalitis (brain infection) and sudden deafness in the United States, "says the CDC website.
In some cases, public health officials may recommend two or three doses of the vaccine depending on the risk of contracting the disease, according to the CDC and the Mayo Clinic.
"A study of a recent mumps outbreak on a university campus showed that students who received a third dose of MMR vaccine had a much lower risk of contracting the disease," says the Mayo Clinic website.
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