Mumps in prison: description of an outbreak in Manitoba, Canada

There is a lack of published information on the management of mumps in a prison setting. We describe an outbreak of mumps that occurred in a medium-security correctional centre (Milner Ridge) in Manitoba, Canada.

A case definition of mumps consistent with that in the document "Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Mumps Outbreaks in Canada" was adopted. Cell culture, polymerase chain reaction, and serology were used for case confirmation.

Five confirmed cases of mumps infection were identified at the Milner Ridge Correctional Centre between January 12 and February 5, 2009. One additional confirmed case and 3 additional probable cases were identified at a second correctional centre. Outbreak control at Milner Ridge was accomplished by cohorting the affected units of the centre, providing education on mumps, deferring transfers, and monitoring for further cases. Vaccination was offered to inmates and staff on the assumption, based on average inmate age, that the majority of inmates would have previously received, at most, a single dose of mumps-containing vaccine.

An outbreak of mumps in a correctional setting was successfully contained via implementation and tailoring of basic infection control measures, and vaccination of inmates and staff. Given the relatively young age of many inmates and the parallels between prisons and dormitories, it could be argued that inmates may represent another group of individuals for whom a second dose of mumps vaccine (if not received in childhood) would be beneficial as primary prophylaxis.