Mumps Vaccination for MU Students

In an effort to control the mumps outbreak at the University of Missouri, the University Health Center is recommending a 3^rd dose of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine for MU students before returning to school after the holiday break.

At this time, this recommendation is ONLY for University of Missouri-Columbia students NOT students of other universities or members of the general public.

The Grundy County Health Department will offer MMR vaccinations to MU students on Wednesday, January 4 and Wednesday, January 11 by appointment.

At this time, Grundy County has one lab-confirmed case and one additional probable case. There have been no confirmed child cases in Grundy County. Surveillance and testing efforts are ongoing. Healthcare providers are required to report the diagnosis of mumps cases (along with other diseases) to the county health department for investigation.

Mumps is a viral illness. The symptoms of mumps are: body aches, loss of appetite, fatigue, headache, low grade fever and parotitis. Parotitis is an inflammation of one or both of the major salivary (parotid) glands located on either side of the face. Visit the CDC website for more information about mumps: www.cdc.gov/mumps/.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent mumps, but it is only effective prior to exposure. People born before 1957 are considered immune to the illness because of the prevalence of the disease in the childhood population prior to that year. Adults born after 1957 should have two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) to be fully immunized if they do not have evidence of immunity, possibly gained by having contracted mumps as a child.

Missouri law requires children to have two MMR vaccinations before attending school.

Please check with the Grundy County Health Department or your physician if you are not adequately immunized. If you have symptoms of the mumps, see your physician for evaluation.

For more information about the mumps or MMR vaccination, please call the Grundy County Health Department at 660/359-4196.