Mumps are moving closer to Marion County
Kansas Department of Health & Environment has received reports of 78 cases of mumps in 20 Kansas counties.
An additional 13 cases are being investigated.
The majority of the cases, 63, are in Douglas County. Cases also are reported in neighboring counties — Harvey and Butler. Other counties are Anderson, Clay, Ellis, Geary, Gove, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Norton, Osage, Pratt, Riley, Rooks, Saline, Shawnee, and Wyandotte.
The outbreak is troublesome to health officials because this year there are more cases than in the past 10 years combined. In 2005, there were no reported cases and from 1994 to 2004, there were a total of 17 cases statewide.
Although mumps is usually a relatively mild viral infection, symptoms can be uncomfortable. Symptoms include fever, swelling and tenderness in glands around the neck and jaw. Laboratory tests can be useful in diagnosis, especially if the symptoms are not typical if a person has been vaccinated or had the disease in the past.
Severe cases can result in long-term illnesses that include meningitis, deafness, and sterility in men.
MMR vaccinations are recommended, however, a majority of the individuals in Kansas and Iowa with mumps had received MMR vaccinations.
