Callaghan, M

LSHTM Research Online

Callaghan, M (2017) Mumps Outbreaks Mean There’s Still Work tobe Done.Downloaded from: http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/3775339/DOI:Usage GuidelinesPlease refer to usage guidelines at http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/policies.html or alterna-tively contact researchonline@lshtm.ac.uk.Available under license: Copyright the publisherspdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APIM I K E  C A L L A G H A NMore from Mike CallaghanPublished on: March 7, 2017 | Last Updated: March 7, 2017 8:46 AM MDTOpinion: Mumps outbreaks meanthere’s still work to be doneLOCAL OPINION VIDEOSGraham Thomson 1:22OPINION COLUMNISTS F E A T U R E D : WILDFIRE ANNIVERSARY OILERS PLAYOFFS MORE SearchFind something right now OpenSearchNEWS OPINION SPORTS BUSINESS ARTS LIFE CAREERS OBITSSIGN INSUBSCRIBEpdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APIFILE - In this Jan. 16, 1957 file photo, Jon Douglas, 6, right, visits his friend, Greg Cox, standing behind a signwarning he has mumps, on the door of his home in Altamont, Ill. Fifty years ago, mumps was once a childhoodrite of passage of puffy cheeks and swollen jaws. That all changed with the arrival of a vaccine in the late 1960s,and mumps nearly disappeared. But in 2017, the U.S. is in the midst of one of the largest surges in decades.A S S O C I A T E D  P R E S SLast week, public health officers announced anoutbreak of mumps clustered around bars inToronto’s west end. This follows outbreaks last yearGet the latest news in yourmailbox as it happensSIGN UPClick here to send us your letter.CONNECT WITH US  EMAIL ALERTSSUBMIT A LETTERWEATHER›SUNNY20°CURRENTLY20°FEELS LIKEEdmonton,C CSHAREpdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APIToronto’s west end. This follows outbreaks last yearin Whistler, last month in Halifax, last week inMedicine Hat, and now, apparently, among severalVancouver Canucks.For a disease most thought was history, there seems to be a lot of itaround right now.  Mumps is caused by infection with mumps virus, which comes from thesame family as measles. Most people who catch it experience about 10days of fever, pain and fatigue, followed by trademark swelling of thesalivary glands, usually a painfully puffy neck or jaw. There is no treatmentother than managing symptoms — usually just pain and fever relief.Fortunately, for most people these symptoms are minor and short-lived.Unfortunately, sometimes they’re not: in rare cases mumps can give riseto very serious complications, especially meningitis and hearing loss.Males can experience painful swelling of testicles, and women the ovaries;for men, in particular, this can damage fertility. Worse yet, mumps ishighly contagious. Each case gets passed on to twice as many people asflu or SARS. The virus is transmitted by droplets from coughing, saliva, ordirect contact, so sharing drinks or cutlery can pass it on.Why is mumps coming back now? There are at least three reasons.First, our policies have changed. Before the late 1960s, there was novaccine for mumps, which meant most people developed immunity thehard way, by getting sick. From 1970 to 1996, children were given a singleshot of mumps vaccine, and rates dropped massively. Research started toshow two shots gave better protection than one, so in 1996 Canada’spolicy changed.Changing our policies in line with evidence is always a good idea, but itTrump team’scurious querytripped concernsabout FlynnCan Republicanssell their health-care plans to askeptical public?Texas police oùcerfaces murdercharge in 15-year-old black teen’sshooting death'Gun fight': Leduc County nearsdecision on controversial gun rangeTRAFFIC›LATEST NATIONAL NEWSLATEST POSTSADJUS TCOMMENTPR INTpdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APIcan be tricky in practice. Now, many people born between 1970 and 1996have “incomplete” vaccination coverage, though most don’t know it.There’s some debate about whether the current vaccine is effectiveenough against all strains of mumps.When outbreaks do happen, the response, on paper, is straightforward.Doctors notify public health agencies, and Canada’s current guidelines arethat people should “self-quarantine” for at least five days, and up to nine.People who think they might have mumps are advised to call ahead totheir doctor’s office rather than simply showing up, since they might becontagious. These common-sense policies should be enough to containthe virus.But of course, beyond these straightforward pieces of science policy liesthe messiness of the real world. Our policies would suffice if the virusbehaved as expected in a vacuum. We’ve already seen mumps thrives insituations where people have their guard down. Locker rooms and nightclubs are usually not places where we’re quite so fastidious aboutcontagion. Asking people to self-quarantine is always going to be difficult,especially if they think their friends have all been vaccinated anyway.These cultural complexities are the second reason.Third, even given great research and communication, there are always x-factors nobody can anticipate. For mumps, that came in the shape of theanti-vaxxer controversy. The virus is one of three covered by the MMR(measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. This is the vaccine that afraudulent and discredited scientist once tried to connect to autism. Hisfindings have been debunked, but the damage was done. Cases of mumpsspiked massively in the aftermath, and will continue to as the long tail ofthe virus continues to find unprotected populations to thrive in.A key lesson is that viruses have social lives. A vaccine alone can’t win out'Gun ﬁght': LeducCounty nearsdecision oncontroversial gunrangeSeniors proudOilers havebrought playoûfever back to citySeniors proud Oilers have broughtplayoff fever back to cityPolice plant trees with youngsters tomark Arbor Day, 125 years of serviceCLASSIFIEDLATEST LOCAL NEWSBuy, sell and tradesmarter.pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APIA key lesson is that viruses have social lives. A vaccine alone can’t win outagainst the massed forces of history, culture and politics. There is a wholesocial world that needs to support that vaccine, long after the virus itselfhas slipped from memory.Many Canadians are now learning the hard way that as much as cutting-edge research takes headlines, the unglamorous, shoe-leather work ofpublic health is the stuff that affects them in concrete ways. It turns outthere’s still quite a lot of that work left to be done.Mike Callaghan is a medical anthropologist and research fellow at theLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.Edmonton Flyers  HOVER FOR FLYER HOVER FOR FLYER HOVER FOR FLYER Police planttrees withyoungsters tomark Arbor Day,125 years ofserviceHumantraùckingcharges reﬂectonly a sliver ofsuspected casesPaula Simons: Loblawwarehouse killer JaymePasieka proof that 'not all...PREVIOUSGregor: NHL needs to curbobstructionNEXTpdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APICommentsWe encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We arecommitted to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoidpersonal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter acomment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to reportspam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for moreinformation.5 CommentsRichard Colvin · Edmonton, AlbertaProbably thanks to the anti-vaccination crowd. Children should be vaccinated at school and the parents should havenothing to do with it.Like · Reply · 8 · Mar 7, 2017 7:01amDave Hackett · U of A EdmontonWhy is it my Grandchildren can't have a peanut butter sandwich in their lunch because someone might be alergic butthese f..tard parents are allowed to send unvaccinated children to school?Like · Reply · 3 · Mar 7, 2017 10:25amDeborah Kahn · Burlington, VermontAs always, no mention that there is a whistleblower suit against Merck, claiming that the mumps portion of the MMR is1) ineffective; 2) Merck knew it was ineffective and 3) Merck faked the data it submitted to the FDA to retain theirlicence for producing the MMR. Much more fun to try and blame those who don't use the ineffective vaccine. Despitethe evidence that high numbers of vaccinated people are coming down with the mumps.Like · Reply · 1 · Mar 9, 2017 4:25pmGoodyear Jhuugmkkmp · NAITFunny how the sheeple line up to turn their children autistic!Add a comment...pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF APILike · Reply · Mar 10, 2017 5:56amDina FlathersMore of these diseases will begin to resurface as the antivaxxer group grows and they travel.Like · Reply · 3 · Mar 7, 2017 6:33pmShannon Burge  · Edmonton, AlbertaVaccinate your kids, idiots.Like · Reply · 11 · Mar 7, 2017 6:43amFacebook Comments PluginLocal NewsPoliticsCrimeNationalWorldInsightNEWSEditorialsColumnistsLettersMalcolmMayeseditorialcartoonsOPINIONHockeyFootballLocal SportsCurlingSoccerBasketballBaseballGolfTennisSPORTSLocal BusinessReal EstateCommercialReal EstateMortgagesCapital IdeasEnergyTechnologyBUSINESSLocal ArtsMoviesTelevisionTheatreMusicBooksCelebrityFestivalsWhat's OnARTSFashion &BeautyHomesFoodHealthParentingRelationshipsRoyalsTravelPuzzles &ComicsLIFEpdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API© 2017 Postmedia Network Inc. 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Mumps Outbreaks Mean There's Still Work to be Done

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Mumps Outbreaks Mean There's Still Work to be Done

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