Mumps is an acute viral disease characterized by fever, swelling and tenderness of one or more of the salivary glands.
Anyone who is not immune from either previous mumps infection or from vaccination can get mumps. Before the routine vaccination program was introduced in the United States, mumps was a common illness in infants, children, and young adults. Because most people have now been vaccinated, mumps is now a rare disease in the United States. Mumps is more common during winter and spring.
Mumps is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and sends the mumps virus into the air. The virus can land in other people’s noses or throats when they breathe or put their fingers in their mouth or nose after handling an infected surface.
Symptoms of mumps include fever, headache, and swelling and tenderness of one or more of the salivary glands located close to the jaw. The salivary gland most often affected is the parotid gland (located just below the front of the ear). Approximately one-third of infected people do not exhibit symptoms.
The incubation period is usually 16 to 18 days, although it may vary from 14 to 25 days.
Mumps can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal column), inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, inflammation of the pancreas, and deafness (usually permanent).
Mumps is generally transmitted from about 3 days before symptoms appear to about 4 days after, although the virus has been isolated from saliva as early as 7 days before to as late as 9 days after onset of symptoms.
Yes. Immunity acquired after contracting the disease is usually permanent.
Yes. Mumps vaccine is given on or after a child's first birthday, and is administered in combination with measles and rubella vaccine. A second booster dose is recommended after four years of age. The MMR (measles mumps rubella) vaccine is highly effective and usually produces lifelong immunity against mumps.
The single most effective control measure is maintaining the highest possible level of immunization in the community. Children with mumps should not attend school during their infectious period.
Stay home. Notify your physician for an appointment and evaluation.
The Preble County General Health District is offering seasonal flu shots every Monday (except holidays) from 9:00 to 11:00am and 3:00 to 5:00pm.
The cost of seasonal flu shots are $22.00 for adults and $10.00 for children 6 months of age through 18 years of age.
Here are links to valuble information and forms for the 2011 flu season in Preble County.
The Adult and Youth Community Health Assessments have been completed and the results have been published. The information is used to work locally on initiatives that promote and improve the health of residents and provide current, relevant data for grant writing. This project was a collaborative effort between the health district, the Mental Health and Recovery Board and Wright State University. To view the results Click Here.
In 2010, forty-nine children died when they were left unattended in vehicles and were overcome by heat stroke - three of these children lived in Ohio. These children died in one of three ways:
The risks and causes of these hyperthermia deaths are well-known. Safe Kids USA's Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car Campaign is underway. To view safety tips to prevent leaving a child in a car and to prevent trunk entrapment Click Here. To view safety tips to prevent injuries for kids of all ages, visit the Safe Kids USA website - Click Here.
The Ohio Department of Health just released the 2004-2010 Third Grade BMI Report. This report is the result of collaborations between the Ohio Department of Health and many elementary schools throughout Ohio. This includes elementary schools in Preble County. This report represents a comprehensive look at the state of obesity for Ohio's 3rd grade children.
Though overall rates of overweight and obesity for these children have not increased in five years, they have not decreased either. In comparing the data collected in 2004-05 and 2009-10, more than 1/3 of Ohio's third graders remain overweight/obese.
However, there is good news for Preble County. Preble County was identified with lower overweight/obesity prevalence between 2004-05 and 2009-10.
The report also highlights a number of areas where strategies to improve the policies, systems and environments that impact healthy behaviors should be focused to reduce childhood overweight and obesity.
To view the complete report, Click Here.
