mumps

[low_delta]

Apparently, Mike (Cyn's son) has the mumps. There's a minor outbreak at UWM. At least it *was* minor - less than 20, last I heard. I think that number is going to go way up, very soon.

Mike drove to southern Indiana this weekend, with two friends. early saturday morning, he awoke with severe ear pain. The clinic gave him antibiotics for an ear infection. A few other syptoms eventually showed up, and a friend's mother (who is a nurse) said they were symptoms of the mumps. And he spent the weekend in close quarters with his friends. When he got home today, his roommate was displaying the same symptoms as he was a couple of days ago.

Transmission:
The mumps virus replicates in the upper respiratory tract and is spread through direct contact with respiratory secretions or saliva or through fomites.

The infectious period or time that an infected person can transmit mumps to a non-infected person is from 3 days before symptoms appear to about 9 days after the symptoms appear.

Mike was here on thursday night. And he had Cyn's car all weekend. Fortunately, that's not very close contact.

Comments

[i.livejournal.com]

there's an epidemic (sort of) in the midwest. i think it was started by someone from here. it's been mentioned on npr a couple of times.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Apparently there have been hundreds of cases in Iowa.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, yuuck. I hope he starts feeling better soon, and I hope you guys don't get it. Of course, your vaccinations might have been more effective than his--the outbreak appears to be occurring within a certain age group.

age group

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

The Milwaukee outbreak? That could just be because it's happening at the college.

[kingseyeland.livejournal.com]

Aren't most people vaccinated for mumps at birth?

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

Actually around 2 years old. The epidemic is bad in Iowa because they have a low vaccination rate.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

But what about Mike's vaccianation?

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

He had one at two, and should have had one before starting college.

[emschin.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor Mike! I hope you, two, don't catch it. I guess it was a good thing he didn't come over to Linda's where there were the two little kids. I wonder about the Thompsons.