MILWAUKEE — A Marquette University student has contracted mumps, according to an email sent to students Thursday.
In an email to students, the school said the infected student lives in one of the residence halls. A doctor reports the student is recovering and is no longer contagious.
The school is warning students to watch out for symptoms such as tenderness or swelling in the face or jaw, and to contact a doctor if you have those symptoms.
All MU students are required to have two doses of MMR vaccine before they register for class.
The full email reads:
Health Advisory – January 31, 2019
A confirmed case of mumps has been identified in a Marquette University student who resides in a residence hall. A physician has confirmed the individual is recovering and is no longer contagious. The City of Milwaukee Health Department has been notified and is initiating the appropriate follow-up communication with close contacts of the individual to ensure they are monitoring for potential symptoms. Marquette University Medical Clinic is encouraging all members of the Marquette community to take the following steps to stay healthy and protect themselves.
Mumps is spread from an infected person through coughing, sneezing, or talking or occasionally through contact with saliva. Mumps is a viral infection that causes one or more salivary glands (located in the cheeks, below and in front of the ears) to become inflamed, swollen and tender. Other signs of mumps infection may include fever, fatigue, weakness, or pain with chewing or swallowing. Non-immune individuals are the most at risk of acquiring mumps. If you are currently experiencing any tenderness or swelling in the face or jaw – or if any such symptoms develop, even if you have had an MMR vaccine, you should contact your healthcare provider or the Marquette University Medical Clinic.
Immunization with two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is the safest and most effective way to prevent up to 88 percent of mumps infections. At this time, there is no recommendation for a third dose of MMR.
Faculty and staff should check their immunization records. All Marquette students are required to receive the two doses of MMR vaccine before they are allowed to register for classes. If you are unsure of your immunization records and history, contact your health care provider or the Marquette Medical Clinic to discuss the MMR vaccine. If you have not had two doses of MMR, it is important to get fully immunized, which can be done at the Marquette University Medical Clinic.
Additional information on mumps is available from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services [dhs.wisconsin.gov] or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [cdc.gov]. For information or questions, contact the Marquette Medical Clinic at 414-288-7184 during business hours or the Nurse Direct nursing hotline after hours at 855-839-5121.
