Three Indiana schools have reported 36 mumps cases since February, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. As of Friday, the following breakdown was reported: Indiana University (12), Butler University (21) and IUPUI (3).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of Mar. 4, 250 mumps cases were reported nationally.
Related: Vaccines: FDA researchers on the mumps and pertussis vaccines
Mumps is spread by droplets of saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat of an infected person, usually when the person coughs, sneezes or talks. Items used by an infected person, such as cups or soft drink cans, can also be contaminated with the virus, which may spread to others if those items are shared.
Symptoms typically appear 16-18 days after infection, but this period can range from 12-25 days after infection. It is usually a mild disease, but can occasionally cause serious complications.
The most common complication is inflammation of the testicles (orchitis) in males who have reached puberty; rarely does this lead to fertility problems.
Other rare complications include inflammation of the brain and/or tissue covering the brain and spinal cord(encephalitis/meningitis), inflammation of the ovaries (oophoritis) and/or breasts (mastitis) infemales who have reached puberty and deafness. Anyone who is not immune from either previous mumps infection or from vaccination can get mumps.
Mumps can be prevented with MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Most children and young adults have received at least 1 dose of MMR vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are more effective than 1 dose.
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