Monday, December 11, 2017

Hawaii says Aloha to Mumps

This year, Hawaii has seen a dramatic 6000% increase in mumps cases. The state has averaged less 2 cases per year from 2007-2016, but there have been 632 reported cases in 2017!
   Mumps is very contagious viral infection that can be asymptomatic but most often causes painful swelling of the parotid salivary glands and ins some cases other respiratory symptoms.  The disease is very contagious, spreading through respiratory transmission. 
    The state heath department is reportedly unsure of why there is such a drastic increase of cases this year, but across the United States there have been an increase in the number of cases of mumps over the last 5 years. Part of  this increase is because the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine does not give lifelong immunity. Since immunity to the disease wanes over time and because of the antivaccination movement, many people are vulnerable to get the disease. 
    The Hawaiian Health Department and the CDC recommends that everyone under the age of 60 gets another MMR vaccine to develop or boost immunity to mumps. 
- Chris LeBoa 

More Information: 
https://www.cdc.gov/mumps/hcp.html#clinical
http://www.healthmap.org/promed/?p=214

No comments: