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MUMPS - UNITED KINGDOM (09): (ENGLAND)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Sat 4 Jul 2009
Source: The Grimsby Telegraph [edited]
<http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/news/Mumps-outbreak-vaccinated-plea/article-1136766-detail/article.html>
Mumps outbreak: get vaccinated now plea
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A mumps outbreak in North East Lincolnshire has seen cases soar -- with
1333 per cent more so far this year compared with the whole of 2008. The
Health Protection Agency reports that cases of mumps in the area have risen
from 3 in the whole of 2008 to 43 in 1st half of 2009. But most of those
new cases have been diagnosed in the last 5 weeks. The majority of the
latest cases have been found in people aged between 15 and 24, who may not
have received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) jab as children. Now
health bosses are urging teenagers and young adults who have not had the
required 2 doses of the vaccine to get immunised by their GP (general
practitioner). Tony Hill, director of public health for North East
Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus, said: "We want them to get the vaccine and we
are also saying to parents of young children that they need to get them
immunised, too.
"Mumps can be a very serious illness. Most of the time it's quite mild, but
it can certainly be very unpleasant, and in the most serious cases it can
cause sterility in men. The mumps virus, which causes swelling of the
salivary glands, fever, headache and in some cases, swelling of the
testicles, is a notifiable disease -- meaning doctors are required by law
to report suspected infections to the HPA [Health Protection Agency].
As it takes 14 to 21 days for the symptoms of mumps to develop, however,
the true figure of how many people are affected by the disease is as yet
unknown.
A 20 year old from Cleethorpes who has spent the last week in bed with the
bug said: "The symptoms are pretty unpleasant, and I've been at home in bed
for the best part of a week, but I'm on the mend now. I would recommend to
anyone who hasn't had the MMR jab to do it now, as having the mumps is not
a nice way to spend your summer."
Further information on mumps can be found on the HPA website at
<http://www.hpa.org.uk>.
--
communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
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[A map of the counties of England showing Lincolnshire in the east of the
country can be accessed at
<http://www.picturesofengland.com/mapofengland/counties-map.htm>. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
Mumps - UK (08): (England) 20090630.2370
Mumps, students - UK (07): (England, Wales) 20090524.1943
Mumps: USA (MA); UK (Scotland) 20090419.1482
Mumps, students - UK (06): (England, Wales) 20090410.1379
Mumps, students - UK (05): (ENG) 20090221.0728
Mumps - UK (04): (England, Wales) 20090212.0634
Mumps - UK (03): (England) 20090211.0619
Mumps - UK (02): (Wales) 20090206.0544
Mumps - UK (WALES) 20090130.0418]
..................cp/ejp/sh
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