Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8220492.stm
Rise in adult mumps cases in NI
There have been 354 cases of mumps in so far this year
There has been a significant increase in the number of cases of mumps among adults in Northern Ireland.
Most of those affected are among a group of people who as children didn't receive two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Another factor is that in 1994 to prevent a measles epidemic children between 5-16 were immunized against measles and rubella but there was insufficient mumps vaccine to go round.
Now 20 years later some people are proving to be more susceptible.
So far this year there have been 354 reported cases of mumps among children and adults compared to 75 cases for the same period in 2008.
Similar increases have been seen in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Dr Neil Irvine from the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre says those most at risk were born between 1981 and 1990.
"While the risk is significant, it has been higher in previous years," he said.
In 2004 there were a total of over 4,000 cases.
The advice from the Public Health Agency is that if people are concerned they can contact their doctor to check how many MMR vaccinations they have received.
The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre also reported a fall in the percentage of children getting the MMR vaccine in the first three months of this year.
Almost 90% of two year olds have had the vaccination, a fall of 1% compared to the previous quarter.
MMR uptake in Northern Ireland is higher than the UK average of 86.5%.
Rise in adult mumps cases in NI
There have been 354 cases of mumps in so far this year
There has been a significant increase in the number of cases of mumps among adults in Northern Ireland.
Most of those affected are among a group of people who as children didn't receive two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Another factor is that in 1994 to prevent a measles epidemic children between 5-16 were immunized against measles and rubella but there was insufficient mumps vaccine to go round.
Now 20 years later some people are proving to be more susceptible.
So far this year there have been 354 reported cases of mumps among children and adults compared to 75 cases for the same period in 2008.
Similar increases have been seen in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Dr Neil Irvine from the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre says those most at risk were born between 1981 and 1990.
"While the risk is significant, it has been higher in previous years," he said.
In 2004 there were a total of over 4,000 cases.
The advice from the Public Health Agency is that if people are concerned they can contact their doctor to check how many MMR vaccinations they have received.
The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre also reported a fall in the percentage of children getting the MMR vaccine in the first three months of this year.
Almost 90% of two year olds have had the vaccination, a fall of 1% compared to the previous quarter.
MMR uptake in Northern Ireland is higher than the UK average of 86.5%.