Mumps case reported at University of Northern Colorado

The University of Northern Colorado on Wednesday sent a campus-wide email warning students of a single case of the mumps virus that has been reported on campus.

The information came via the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, according to an email from UNC Director of Environmental Health and Safety Glenn Adams.

Mumps is a virus that causes painful swelling of one or more salivary glands, low fever and headache, according to the release.

“Typically, persons with mumps have swelling of the gland located in the cheek area near the ear and back of the jaw,” according to the release.

Once common in the United States, mumps cases have dropped dramatically since the mumps vaccination — MMR — became routine in 1970s, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Mumps outbreaks have increased in recent years, and outbreaks generally affect people who aren’t vaccinated, and occur in close-contact settings, such as schools or college campuses, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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The virus is spread by coughing and sneezing, or direct contact with the saliva of an infected person, according to the release.

Severe complications are rare, but may include inflammation of the brain, inflammation of the ovaries, sterility, deafness and swollen testicles, according to the campus-wide release.

There is no treatment for mumps. Individuals who experience symptoms should stay home and away from others and contact their primary care physician or call the Student Health Center at (970) 351-2412 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., the Co HELP 24-hour line at (303) 389-1687 or 877-462-2911 or the Colorado Nurse Advice Line, which is available 24 hours per day.

UNC officials said this is an isolated case, and recommend the following preventive measures:

• Get vaccinated. The MMR vaccine is the best protection against mumps. Students attending child care, school or a college with residence halls in Colorado are required to have the vaccine or an exemption to vaccination, unless they are less than 15 months of age or were born prior to 1957. Persons born prior to 1957 probably had mumps disease and likely are immune to mumps. Mumps vaccine is usually given in combination with measles and rubella vaccine in the form of MMR vaccine at 12-15 months of age with a second shot given at school entry (4-6 years of age). The majority of UNC students have been vaccinated. If you're unsure whether you've received the vaccination, please contact your health care provider. For more information on obtaining the vaccine, contact your health care provider or the Student Health Center.
• Don't share drinks or eating utensils.
• Cover your cough and sneezes.
• Stay home when you're sick.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces (UNC custodial staff is disinfecting high-touch campus locations as necessary.)

For more information, go to the Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov.

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