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A secondary school outbreak of mumps following the childhood immunization programme in England and Wales

H Wehner1, R Morris, M Logan

  • 1Gloucestershire Health Authority, Gloucester, UK.

Epidemiology and Infection
|March 18, 2000
PubMed

Insights

A 1996 measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine outbreak affected schoolchildren in the UK. Children too old for the 1988 MMR vaccine schedule remain susceptible to mumps due to reduced natural exposure.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Routine measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunization was introduced in England and Wales in 1988, leading to a steady decline in mumps incidence.
  • Despite widespread vaccination, outbreaks can still occur, particularly in specific age cohorts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a significant mumps outbreak in 1996 affecting schoolchildren born in 1982 and 1983.
  • To investigate the continued risk of mumps in children who were just too old to receive the 1988 MMR vaccine.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of a mumps outbreak in a cohort of 98 schoolchildren.
  • Diagnosis confirmation using salivary IgM assay, a minimally invasive testing method.

Main Results:

  • The outbreak involved 34 schoolchildren, representing the largest UK outbreak since the introduction of the MMR vaccine.
  • Salivary IgM assay proved effective for diagnosing mumps during the outbreak.

Conclusions:

  • Children born just before the 1988 MMR vaccine introduction remain at risk for mumps due to decreased natural exposure.
  • Further cases and outbreaks are anticipated in this cohort, highlighting the importance of ongoing surveillance and potential booster vaccination strategies.

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