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Mumps in the Shimelba refugee camp, Ethiopia, October through December, 2007
Response involving U.S.-bound refugees with possible exposure to mumps–Shimelba refugee camp, Ethiopia
On October 17, 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was notified about two laboratory-confirmed cases of mumps in Eritrean refugees newly arrived to the United States. These refugees arrived from the Shimelba camp in Ethiopia, where an outbreak of mumps was subsequently reported. Active case finding in the US identified a total of 14 cases of mumps in three states among newly arrived refugees or their contacts. Two cases were imported and 12 cases (including 3 cases in non-refugees) were acquired through secondary transmission in the United States. All cases had symptom onset during September 30―November 28, 2007.
After identification of the outbreak in October, all resettlement flights of Eritrean refugees from Ethiopia were temporarily postponed to enable vaccination of U.S.-bound refugees with MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and the implementation of other control and prevention measures. In this situation, CDC recommended vaccinating all U.S.-bound refugees born in 1957 or later and at least 12 months of age. Children less than 12 months of age, pregnant women, and persons with other known contraindications to MMR vaccine were not vaccinated.
Vaccinations were performed by the International Organization of Migration (IOM). Refugees were rebooked for travel at least 30 days after vaccination. Persons with a contraindication to vaccination were permitted to travel without vaccination; however, they were checked for signs and symptoms of mumps infection by IOM before departure and were not permitted to travel until mumps infection was excluded.
Movement from the camp resumed with one flight on December 18, 2007. CDC notified the receiving state health departments and recommended that eligible refugees receive the second dose of MMR vaccine as soon as possible after arrival to the United States. Vaccination was also recommended for refugees who were not eligible overseas, such as pregnant women, but who later became eligible.
If there are any concerns regarding possible mumps cases in your state, please contact your local and state health department.