More students hit by mumps epidemic

There are fears of a mumps epidemic today as another group of students was hit by the potentially fatal disease.

There have been five confirmed and 21 suspected cases of mumps reported at Kingston University in the last month. It follows an outbreak-among medical students at King's College London in December.

Cases of mumps have risen at least tenfold since 1999, despite the introduction of the controversial measles, mumps and rubella vaccination 11 years earlier.

In the first nine months of last year there were 3,756 cases of mumps compared with only 372 in 1999. The rise has been seen in teens and students who were too old to be offered the MMR jab but did have the measles and rubella injection. This left them vulnerable to mumps, which has spread as these groups mix in schools and universities.

Outbreaks have occurred across the country in the last year, mostly in colleges, and medics have been holding emergency vaccination clinics to prevent an epidemic.

Mumps is more dangerous for adults as it is more likely to cause complications such as meningitis, possible sterility in men and deafness.

In the latest outbreak, medics in Kingston have offered the MMR vaccination to hundreds but others are still being advised to have the vaccination.

Dr Emma Crawley-Boevey, consultant in communicable disease control at the south-west London health protection unit, said: "We are working closely with Kingston University to help prevent further cases of mumps.

"We strongly recommend students who have not been immunised with two doses of MMR take this chance to ensure protection from measles, mumps and rubella."

Michele Barbour, counselling coordinator at Kingston University's health centre, said there had been a good response to the immunisation programme.

She added: "The vaccination clinics have been popular and 548 vaccinations have now been carried out. Further sessions and follow-up MMR vaccinat ions will be arranged."

In a separate programme, young children across London are being given the three-in-one MMR jab in catch-up clinics at school if their parents have given permission.

The aim is to increase coverage after take-up rates fell to dangerous levels following research which linked the jab to autism and bowel disorders.

Dr Mary Ramsay, who is responsible for monitoring the MMR programme, said the new cases among older students are not linked to low vaccination take-up in children.

But she added: "It does illustrate clearly why it is so important that children are given good protection against all three diseases."

Symptoms of mumps include headache, a fever and painful swelling of the cheeks and jaw.

Experts say the burgeoning epidemic is unlikely to slow as two thirds of those affected are between 15 and 24 - most of whom were too old to have the three-in-one vaccination which was introduced for babies in 1988.