A mumps outbreak has prompted alerts to healthcare providers across Colorado, with at least four cases confirmed in Denver and two other probable cases under investigation, authorities said Wednesday.
“We usually see about 2.5 cases per year (in the city),” said Dr. Heather Young, an infectious disease physician at Denver Health Medical Center who serves as the hospital’s epidemiologist. “This is certainly an increase over what we would usually see.”
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Tuesday issued a warning to doctors and nurses to keep an eye out for more potential patients. While most mumps cases are mild, some can have serious complications.
Investigators believe the Colorado cases are linked to a mumps outbreak in Iowa.
“The source of the infection is thought to be a person who recently moved to Colorado from Iowa and reported symptoms of fever and bilateral swelling under his ears that extended under his mandibles during early January,” CDPHE said in its bulletin.
State health officials say while infectious, the person socialized with a group of three friends who all came down with mumps symptoms in late January.
The group went together to the Denver Health Adult Urgent Care Clinic on Feb. 2 where they were evaluated and tested for mumps.
As of Monday, CDPHE says three health care personnel who treated the cases at the clinic developed mumps symptoms despite reporting being vaccinated against the disease.
“Denver Health is contacting other health care personnel and patients who may have also have been exposed,” CDPHE’s bulletin said.
The outbreak may not be related to a lack of vaccinations.
Dr. Lisa Miller, chief of the communicable disease branch at the state health department, said childhood vaccinations for mumps are not foolproof for life, and an adult’s immunity can diminish with age.
“Even though the mumps vaccine is a very good one, and provides protection for 88 percent of people who get 2 doses, that leaves a small number of individuals who are susceptible even when the vast majority of people are fully vaccinated,” Miller said in an e-mail.
Young says to prevent spreading mumps or being infected, people should get vaccinated and stay home if sick.
“Call your healthcare provide if you think have mumps,” she added. “It’s spread by droplets so it’s something that if you are coughing or sneezing you could spread it that way.”
Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands.
Symptoms can appear between 12-25 days after someone is infected. The illness lasts from three to ten days.
In the most serious cases, mumps can cause brain inflammation, sterility, orchitis, spontaneous abortion or deafness.
The CDC says while mumps cases in the United States are rare, there are occasional outbreaks. Colorado typically has several cases each year.
The Associated Press reports several mumps cases have been reported at two Indiana University campuses within the past several days. In November, according to the AP, the University of Iowa reported more than 100 cases of the disease for 2015.
CDPHE says Iowa’s mumps outbreak has been ongoing since July 2015.
Among the 49 states and the District of Columbia reporting kindergartner vaccination coverage for measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, for the 2013-14 school year, Colorado stood dead last, according to the CDC. Data wasn’t available for Wyoming.
The MMR vaccine is recommended for all children and Young says it is 90 percent effective.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
Staff writer David Olinger contributed to this report.
Mumps cases in the U.S.:
2010 — 2,612
2011 — 370
2012 — 229
2013 — 584
2014 — 1,223
2015 — 1,057
2016 so far — 69
Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
