Mumps outbreak is taking place in Arkansas with more than 400 people infected with the disease. More than 30 schools have also reported that they have one or more students having mumps.
The Arkansas Department of Health is reportedly investigating the matter. The total number of suspected cases has reached 427. Majority of them have been identified as children.
Due to the more than 30 schools reporting that they have one or more suspected cases, the Arkansas Department of Health issued an order requiring students with a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine exemption to stay at home for almost a month if they were exposed to the virus. However, if the students have the MMR vaccine, they could come to school and continue with their daily routine, the ABC News reported.
The MMR vaccine is reportedly expected to be 88 percent effective when it comes to preventing mumps infection. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail also reported that the mumps virus could be spread via saliva on cups, silverware and plates. Mumps is a virus of the salivary gland and is incurable. Some people who have suffered from mumps had lasting effects such as loss of hearing, becoming infertile and swollen brains.
There are no symptoms most of the time, but people suffering from the virus have puffy cheeks, swollen glands, chills, fever, fatigue, muscle aches and lack of appetite. The mumps virus can also travel to infect other parts of the body and if this happens, it will cause swelling in the affected area. It could lead to viral meningitis, acute pancreatitis and oophoritis.
In rare occasions, the brain swelling could take place and it could cause a life-threatening condition called encephalitis. The symptoms are likened to flu such as having headaches and dizziness. It will also exhibit changes in personality, confusion, changes in behavior and loss of consciousness, but most patients recover from the disease in a few weeks' time.
