Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/Fears-grow-as-cases-of.3974279.jp
Fears grow as cases of mumps are on the rise
ONE person in Portsmouth is struck down with mumps every week, The News can reveal.
Latest figures show 15 people have already been infected so far this year compared with four in the whole of 2007.
The virus is normally mild but in rare cases can cause serious complications including meningitis or deafness.
Health experts today blamed the rise on a drop in parents taking their children for the combined measles, mumps and rubella ? MMR ? jab.
Last year 75 per cent of children in the city had received both doses of the vaccine by the age of five compared with 78 per cent the previous year ? putting Portsmouth in the bottom third in the country.
This means 3,178 children did not have the MMR jab.
In Hampshire, where 78 per cent of children were immunised, there have been just four cases of mumps so far this year compared with seven in 2007.
Experts at the Health Protection Agency, which records infections, do not know how many of the 19 cases in the area were children, but say the virus is most common in young people.
Adults who were not vaccinated as children or have a weakened immune system are also at risk.
Portsmouth City Teaching Primary Care Trust deputy director of public health
and wellbeing Imogen Stephens said: 'MMR uptake dropped in response to public concerns about its association with risks of autism five to 10 years ago.
'It has now been shown that this association does not exist and uptake of this vaccine has improved again.
'However, there are young people in Portsmouth who remain poorly protected against mumps, measles and German measles as a result, so we are now seeing cases of mumps and measles in the community.'
Claims of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism are unfounded.
Dr Andrew Wakefield who sparked controversy after his paper was published in medical journal The Lancet in 1998 is now appearing before the General Medical Council on charges relating to his claims.
Dr Stephens added: 'We advise parents to make sure their children are fully immunised against these infections, which can be serious.'
clare.semke@thenews.co.uk
The full article contains 373 words and appears in NS-City newspaper.
Last Updated: 12 April 2008 8:13 AM
Fears grow as cases of mumps are on the rise
ONE person in Portsmouth is struck down with mumps every week, The News can reveal.
Latest figures show 15 people have already been infected so far this year compared with four in the whole of 2007.
The virus is normally mild but in rare cases can cause serious complications including meningitis or deafness.
Health experts today blamed the rise on a drop in parents taking their children for the combined measles, mumps and rubella ? MMR ? jab.
Last year 75 per cent of children in the city had received both doses of the vaccine by the age of five compared with 78 per cent the previous year ? putting Portsmouth in the bottom third in the country.
This means 3,178 children did not have the MMR jab.
In Hampshire, where 78 per cent of children were immunised, there have been just four cases of mumps so far this year compared with seven in 2007.
Experts at the Health Protection Agency, which records infections, do not know how many of the 19 cases in the area were children, but say the virus is most common in young people.
Adults who were not vaccinated as children or have a weakened immune system are also at risk.
Portsmouth City Teaching Primary Care Trust deputy director of public health
and wellbeing Imogen Stephens said: 'MMR uptake dropped in response to public concerns about its association with risks of autism five to 10 years ago.
'It has now been shown that this association does not exist and uptake of this vaccine has improved again.
'However, there are young people in Portsmouth who remain poorly protected against mumps, measles and German measles as a result, so we are now seeing cases of mumps and measles in the community.'
Claims of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism are unfounded.
Dr Andrew Wakefield who sparked controversy after his paper was published in medical journal The Lancet in 1998 is now appearing before the General Medical Council on charges relating to his claims.
Dr Stephens added: 'We advise parents to make sure their children are fully immunised against these infections, which can be serious.'
clare.semke@thenews.co.uk
The full article contains 373 words and appears in NS-City newspaper.
Last Updated: 12 April 2008 8:13 AM