Six mumps cases in county

At least six Clark County residents have been diagnosed with mumps in recent weeks.

And because Clark County's vaccination rate for children falls below the national average, public health officials are concerned that unvaccinated children may be at risk to exposure.

Adults who have not received a mumps vaccine also are at risk, health officials say.

"At this point we've had six cases, and it's more than expected,'' said Brian Labus, a Southern Nevada Health District epidemiologist. "Because it is a rare disease and has no seasonal pattern, and the fact that we have multiple cases that are not linked together, that makes us concerned.''

Labus said mumps outbreaks also have been reported on the East Coast and in Canada.

Typically, between 250 and 350 mumps cases are reported in the United States each year. Last year, the numbers shot up because of an outbreak in Iowa where thousands came down with mumps, Labus said.

Nevada typically sees only about five or six cases a year, according to figures from the state's Health Division.

So far this year, nine cases have been reported in Nevada, including the six in Clark County, said Martha Framsted, a Health Division spokeswoman.

The other three cases occurred in Northern Nevada earlier this year.

Last year, five cases were reported in Nevada, she said.

For the past two years, there have been no confirmed cases of mumps in Southern Nevada, Labus said.

Having one or two cases a year wouldn't be that much of a concern, but six in a short period of time would raise awareness, he said.

"Mumps is not a disease that has been eradicated, so it is important for parents and guardians of children to make sure they are up to date on their immunizations,'' Framsted said.

Mumps is a global viral illness that causes swelling of one or more of the glands on the side of the face or close to the jaw.

Other symptoms might include muscle pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, headache or low-grade fever.

Symptoms typically appear within 14 to 18 days after contact with the virus, which is spread by breathing in air after an infected individual coughs or sneezes or if someone has direct contact with the saliva of an infected person.

An infected person is contagious three days before symptoms begin up until nine days afterward.

Anyone who is infected but does not have symptoms can also spread the virus.

"About 20 percent don't have symptoms but could still spread it to others,'' Labus said.

"That's why it is usually very difficult to track.''

Labus said there's no particular age range of the individuals confirmed to have mumps in Clark County.

The health district is advising anyone who thinks they might have mumps to seek medical treatment.

Anyone with the illness should not attend school, child care, work or other public gathering for at least nine days after the onset of swelling of the glands on the jaw and or near the ears.

For more information, contact the office of epidemiology at 759-1300 or visit www.SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict.org.