This year has been the worst year for mumps outbreaks in a decade, with college campuses particularly hard hit. CDC recorded 3,832 provisional cases of mumps in 45 states and Washington, DC, as of November 26, the most recent date available. That figure is nearly three times the total recorded in 2015 and the highest number recorded since 2006. Despite widespread vaccination requirements, many colleges and universities have reported mumps cases, including the University of Missouri, Tufts University, and SUNY New Paltz. Individuals can be vaccinated against mumps, as well as against measles and rubella, with the MMR vaccine. The mumps component of the vaccine is about 88% effective with two doses. While measles and rubella vaccines last for a long time, the immunity people get from a mumps vaccination can start to fade after about a decade, according to Paul Offit, MD, a professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He said that although most measles outbreaks these days are the result of large populations not getting vaccinated, mumps cases are more often due to faded immunity among those who were vaccinated years ago. Offit noted that an immunization advisory group may consider at its February meeting recommending a third dose of the mumps vaccine for a broader swath of the population. Some people already receive a third dose if they are confronted with an outbreak and have not had a booster in years.
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