texas

Texas Has Most Mumps Cases than in 2 Decades

Texas health officials say the state is experiencing its highest incidence of mumps in more than 20 years, including cases possibly linked to the popular spring break destination of South Padre Island.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday that Texas has had 221 cases of mumps so far this year, the largest total since there were 234 cases in 1994.

Texas officials say they were contacted this week by another state health department about a mumps patient who'd traveled to South Padre Island for spring break.

Texas then alerted other states and has been notified of 13 mumps cases in people who traveled to South Padre Island between March 8 and March 22 from six states, including two cases from Texas.

Mumps cause your salivary glands to swell up, which can be painful, but can cause deafness and, very rarely, dangerous encephalitis or swelling of the brain.
It's spread through saliva, which is why college kids are the ones most vulnerable. 
They often times share drinks and silverware and live in close quarters.
It can two to three weeks, even longer, for symptoms to develop, but you're most contagious in the days before and right after your salivary glands swell up, according to Dr. Bryan King, Director of Clinical Research at North Texas Infectious Diseases Consultants.
"There are many people who travel from region to region so it just takes one person to, unbeknownest to them, spread it another group of people. If we can just raise awareness about swelling of the parotid glands, if you've been recently to these areas that do have outreaks, in the back of your mind, think, 'could this be mumps?'" says Dr. King.
Even though it's not 100 percent effective, the vaccine is still the best thing to do to protect against it.
Beyond that, it's important to stop the spread by covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands frequently with soap and water and not sharing food and drinks.\
If you don't know your vaccination status, make sure to talk to your health care provider about getting vaccinated.

Mumps cause your salivary glands to swell up, which can be painful, but can cause deafness and, very rarely, dangerous encephalitis or swelling of the brain.

It's spread through saliva, which is why college kids are the ones most vulnerable. 
They often times share drinks and silverware and live in close quarters.

It can two to three weeks, even longer, for symptoms to develop, but you're most contagious in the days before and right after your salivary glands swell up, according to Dr. Clinton Haley with Baylor Scott and White.

 "There are many people who travel from region to region so it just takes one person to, unbeknownest to them, spread it another group of people. If we can just raise awareness about swelling of the parotid glands, if you've been recently to these areas that do have outreaks, in the back of your mind, think, 'could this be mumps?'" says Dr. White.

Even though it's not 100 percent effective, the vaccine is still the best thing to do to protect against it.

Beyond that, it's important to stop the spread by covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands frequently with soap and water and not sharing food and drinks.

If you don't know your vaccination status, make sure to talk to your health care provider about getting vaccinated.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us