Younger teenagers are also at risk of mumps outbreaks

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7506.1509

BMJ 2005;330:1509 (25 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7506.1509

Letter

Younger teenagers are also at risk of mumps outbreaks

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Savage et al provide a useful summary of the mumpsoutbreaks in England and Wales during 2004.¹ In their study,the population most susceptible to mumps were born between 1983and 1986. They recommended reviewing the measles, mumps, andrubella (MMR) vaccination status of all school leavers.

A recent outbreak in a Scottish boarding school (October 2004)shows that younger teenagers are also at risk of mumps becauseof incomplete vaccination (figure). Fifty nine pupils at theschool (10%) were reported as having mumps, of which 20 cases(34%) were confirmed virologically. All confirmed cases wereborn in 1987-91. Eleven reported cases (19%) were unvaccinated,and 34 (58%) had received only one dose of MMR. The school hasa high proportion of boarders, some from countries that do notinclude MMR vaccine in their immunisation schedule.

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Mumps outbreak curve (n=58 as date of onset not known . . . [Full text of this article]

D Graham Mackenzie, specialist registrar

Public Health Department, NHS Fife, Cameron House, Leven, Fife KY8 5RG gm@nhs.net

Nick Hallam, consultant virologist

NHS Lothian-University Hospitals Division, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France, Edinburgh EH16 4SA

Janet Stevenson, consultant in public health medicine

Public Health Department, Lothian NHS Board, Deaconess House, Edinburgh EH8 9RS

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Mumps outbreaks across England and Wales in 2004: observational study: Emma Savage, Mary Ramsay, Joanne White, Stuart Beard, Heather Lawson, Rashpal Hunjan, and David Brown
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