Any Cases of the Mumps??

Updated on December 16, 2014
K.C. asks from Irvine, CA
9 answers

So, I saw this weekend that at least 13 NHL players and 2 referees have been diagnosed with the mumps this year. Seriously?!?! I haven't heard of any other mumps outbreaks, but was wondering if anyone else out there had. Any cases of the mumps in your neighborhood?

According to one article I read (posted in my SWH), the vaccine wanes over time. Will you get a booster?

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D.B.

answers from Boston on

A lot of this stuff happens because people aren't vaccinating much, due to unrealistic fears. We had a horrible outbreak of measles in Massachusetts last year. But I also think there can be a weak batch of vaccines, or boosters aren't done in a timely matter. (The MMR vaccine is a multi-pronged vaccine.)

Boosters are important for a lot of things - tetanus is another one.

We're also seeing a rise in things like whooping cough and other things that were wiped out or held at bay by vaccines. So you can expect to see more outbreaks until people come to their senses.

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M.R.

answers from Washington DC on

No cases that I know of but unless there was a reported outbreak at the school, or it hit the news that there were cases in the area, we wouldn't necessarily know. Don't assume that because the grapevine hasn't picked up news of mumps beyond the NHL, there isn't any.

The mumps vaccine wasn't available until the late 60s-early 70s and wasn't widely, routinely given until later than that, and many people who are now adults did not get it even in the 70s or after because it wasn't required by their school systems, etc. So there are a LOT of unprotected adults walking around who may think they had the vaccine as kids but did not.

Add to that the fact that mumps and measles too are both back on the increase, due to misinformed parents refusing to vaccinate or parents just neglecting to keep up their kids' shot schedules, and the potential for even more widespread outbreaks is only going to increase.

Adults today didn't live through deaths due to measles or mumps but both can be fatal. We've forgotten that or just refuse to believe it, and instead, many parents believe the vast fraud started when a doctor in Britain faked up a study...and the lie has spread and been perpetuated online for a decade. (Search "Dr. Andrew Wakefield" to read about the now discredited "study" that kicked off the whole "MMR vaccine equals autism" nonsense).

So I fear it's going to take some serious outbreaks and probably some deaths to make people wake up again and get kids vaccinated and get boosters (or first-time shots) for adults. Same goes for flu and flu shots; people refuse to get them, but don't realize that flu can be fatal, especially to young kids. Or they just say, "Well, yeah, it kills people each year but that's only old people and sick people, not healthy kids like mine...."

To answer the question, yes, I know I had the MMR vaccine as a child, but am probably going to ask my doctor about a booster this spring because we travel a lot and that only increases our exposure. Vaccines do wane over time and with the outbreaks, however small, of diseases people thought we'd "beaten," I want to do what I can.

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W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

I saw that too...

No cases here in DC that I'm aware of....

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

My son had mumps some years back After he had the shots. Public health called and they couldn't believe it. I guess sometimes things just happen.

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~.~.

answers from Dallas on

My 8 year old son has had his MMR shots/boosters on schedule and got mumps last year. This was after he had travelled to India, so I'm assuming he caught it over there. The doctor said that it wasn't as bad of a case since he had been vaccinated. The CDC even called to confirm the diagnosis! That was kind of a shock, but they said they keep strict records and if a case goes in the system, they keep record of it in case an outbreak occurs.

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D.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I saw this too, and did some more reading. I guess it happens when people are in close contact. There is a story that in Ohio, a few hundred people (mostly OSU students) had the mumps last spring.

However, I work in a health system, and I think last year or the year before, they didn't require but highly recommended I get a booster of the entire MMR shot, so I did.

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G.D.

answers from Detroit on

Due to my schooling and volunteer I've had the booster. I heard there were several cases in my state, so yes-I would get a booster if I hadn't already.
The flu's really bad this year too. I've been ensuring we all have our flu shot since my son contracted h1n1 during the 2008 pandemic.

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T.M.

answers from Modesto on

No mumps mentioned in Northern Cal that I'm aware of.
I had them back in the 60s. It wasnt fun. You definitely cant take a bite of dill pickle or it will send you through the roof.

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M.M.

answers from Boston on

I had them in 1967 after getting the mumps shot, which was new then, and obviously ineffective

Altho you'd think I'd be all set having had the mumps, I still get boosters, of the MMR, i'm guessing more fore the measles and rubella portion

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