4 Northeastern students suspected to have mumps

By Patricia Wen, Globe Staff

Four Northeastern University students have suspected cases of the mumps, Boston public health officials announced this afternoon, and they urged any unvaccinated students and staff to get immunized against this once-common childhood illness.

Though laboratory results are not yet back to confirm these as mumps cases, Dr. Anita Barry, director of infectious diseases at the Boston Public Health Commission, said the four students -- two of whom just returned from Ireland where there was a recent mumps outbreak -- have symptoms that are consistent with mumps. Given the relative ease with which this illness can be spread, she said, "it's likely we'll see more cases."

Mumps is caused by a virus that is spread through infected respiratory tract secretions, and people typically catch it by being within three to six feet of an infected person who coughs or sneezes. However, it is difficult to tell whether someone is infectious or not.

Barry said people are generally considered to be infectious from three days before until five days after the onset of swelling of the salivary glands. She said most infected people often feel sick for a few days with low-grade fever and "look like chipmunks."

The incubation period for mumps is usually 16 to 18 days, meaning it takes that long for symptoms to appear after someone has been exposed to the virus. But as many as one in three people infected with the mumps virus show no symptoms at all.

Serious complications are rare with mumps, but it has been known in rare cases to cause hearing loss in children.

The mumps vaccine doesn't always protect against the illness. Barry said all four sick Northeastern students have medical records showing that they had the two recommended doses of mumps vaccine. Barry said roughly 10 or 20 percent of those who receive the mumps vaccine are still vulnerable to the illness.