Universities in drive to protect students from mumps

19 March 2009

Liverpool's three universities are backing a Health Protection Agency North West drive to protect their student populations from mumps.

The campaign is being launched after 25 cases of mumps were notified in university aged teenagers and young adults aged 17-25 in Liverpool in the past 10 days.

The Student Health Service at Liverpool John Moores University has sent an email to all their students, advising them to ensure that they are protected by MMR vaccine.

The Student Health Service at the University of Liverpool has already contacted students living in halls of residence and will meet later in the week to consider if further action is needed. Student Health at Liverpool Hope University has placed a similar message on the internal student intranet and posted notices in key areas throughout the campus.

Dr. Roberto Vivancos, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control with the HPA's Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Unit, said: "Unfortunately, a large pool of teenagers and young people missed out on MMR immunisation when they were toddlers. Mumps is highly infectious, as indeed is measles, and it can spread rapidly when it gets in amongst these unprotected young people.

"The risk is even greater for those who live, work and socialise in close-knit education establishments, such as universities."

Liverpool GP Dr Katy Gardener, who has recently treated students with mumps, said: "Mumps should not be treated lightly. It can be a severe disease, with a potential for serious side-effects. I have recently treated a student who became very ill with pancreatitis, which developed as a complication of mumps.

"Anybody aged 17 to 25 who doesn't know if they have had full MMR vaccination should ask their GP or Practice Nurse to check their records. It could be a big mistake to leave things to chance when there is so much measles and mumps around."

Note to editors

Mumps symptoms are: painful inflammation and swelling of the salivary glands under one or both sides of the jaw, fever and headache.

Complications of mumps can include viral meningitis, long term hearing problems and painful swelling of the testicles in males and the ovaries in females.

For more information visit:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733851374?p=1191942172905
http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/MMR
Press release issued by Laura Hall, HPA North West, tel. 0151-482-5732, and Hugh Lamont 0151-482-5728 or 07764-906508.

Last reviewed: 18 March 2009