HHS HealthBeat (February 25, 2010)

Mumps goes up

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Since 1967, there’s been a vaccine for mumps. So instead of lots of young children getting mumps, now it’s uncommon. However, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have noticed a rise in cases in teenagers and young adults. An outbreak is ongoing in New York and New Jersey with more than 800 cases.

The CDC’s Al Barskey:

[Al Barskey speaks] ``We’re not really sure, but we think it has to do with the protection of the vaccine wearing off after a certain period of time.’’

Barskey notes that vaccination is still the best prevention method. One dose is 80 percent effective, and two doses raises that to 90 percent.

Mumps goes away by itself, but serious complications can result.

The study was in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss

Last revised: May 7, 2011