Editor—Savage et al provide a useful summary of the mumps outbreaks in England and Wales during 2004.1 In their study, the population most susceptible to mumps were born between 1983 and 1986. They recommended reviewing the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination status of all school leavers.
A recent outbreak in a Scottish boarding school (October 2004) shows that younger teenagers are also at risk of mumps because of incomplete vaccination (figure). Fifty nine pupils at the school (10%) were reported as having mumps, of which 20 cases (34%) were confirmed virologically. All confirmed cases were born in 1987-91. Eleven reported cases (19%) were unvaccinated, and 34 (58%) had received only one dose of MMR. The school has a high proportion of boarders, some from countries that do not include MMR vaccine in their immunisation schedule.
Figure 1.
Mumps outbreak curve (n=58 as date of onset not known for one case)
The findings from this school outbreak are consistent with advice in Scotland that incompletely vaccinated children and young people aged 13-25 (born between 1979 and 1991) should be considered for opportunistic MMR vaccination.2
Competing interests: None declared.
References
- 1.Savage E, Ramsay M, White J, Beard S, Lawson H, Hunjan R, et al. Mumps outbreaks across England and Wales in 2004: observational study. BMJ 2005;330: 1119-20. (14 May.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Chief Medical Officer. Letter. Mumps outbreaks in Scotland: offer of MMR to high risk individuals in high risk settings. 2004. www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/cmo/DC20040804mumps.pdf (accessed 7 Jun 2005).