SENIOR STUDENTS in second-level schools are to be offered vaccinations in the coming days and weeks in an attempt by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to bring a nationwide mumps outbreak under control.
The new campaign will see public health specialists visiting schools to offer the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine to students in transition year, fifth year and sixth year.
More than 1,900 cases of mumps have been reported to the national Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) so far this year, which is more than were reported for the whole of last year. Outbreaks have been reported in secondary schools, colleges, universities and sports clubs.
Just 128 cases had been reported to the HPSC at this stage last year.
Mumps is a contagious acute viral illness that causes fever, headache and painful swollen glands. Complications can include meningitis, deafness and inflammation of the testicles, ovaries or pancreas.
A number of young people have had to be hospitalised as a result of mumps so far this year and many others have missed work, school and college. There are fears now that the infection could interfere with some students’ exams.
An alert in relation to the seriousness of the outbreak has been posted on the Department of Education’s website which states that the vaccination campaign will prioritise larger schools in April and May as mumps outbreaks are more common where there are large numbers of students.
It adds that schools that are not contacted in April and May will be offered the MMR vaccination from September 2009 onwards.
“The HSE vaccination teams will do all they can to ensure the vaccination sessions take place as efficiently as possible,” the HSE’s assistant national director of population health, Dr Kevin Kelleher, states on the website.
To be protected against mumps people need to have had two doses of the MMR vaccine, or to have previously had the mumps.
Dr Kelleher said the national mumps outbreak had occurred because many young people aged 15-24 years had not received two doses of MMR.
“This means that second-level schools have many highly susceptible students in transition year, fifth and sixth year who are at immediate high risk of developing mumps,” he added.
In a statement yesterday evening the HSE said recent studies estimated that one dose of MMR was about 80 per cent effective against mumps and estimates for two doses of MMR ranged from 88-95 per cent effective in preventing mumps.
It added that if a young person’s MMR history was not known, an extra dose of MMR would do no harm, and could offer valuable protection against mumps.
“The HSE will be attending as many schools as possible in the weeks before the summer break, and any schools that are not targeted will be followed up in September. In addition, the HSE continues to advise those in third-level institutions to attend student health services for the MMR vaccine,” it continued.
Meanwhile, the Meningitis Research Foundation has said it is concerned to note mumps cases continuing to rise as it says any resurgence in mumps could lead to an increase in cases of viral meningitis.
More information is available from mumps.ie, or the HSE infoline on 1850 241850