Mumps Outbreak at Harvard Threatens Graduation

Harvard University's Health Services has been working closely with local and state health departments to track the spread of the infection and keep the Cambridge, Massachusetts community informed about the best way to stop the spread of the contagious disease.

Paul J. Barreira, director of Health Services, told the student newspaper, the Harvard Crimson, that he's alarmed by the high number of confirmed cases.

"I'm actually more concerned now than I was during any time of the outbreak, I have to say. I'm desperate to get students to take it seriously that they shouldn't be infecting one another."

Harvard isn't the only college in the Boston area hit by mumps this spring — Boston University, the University of Massachusetts and Tufts University have also reported cases among their students.

The largest mumps outbreak in 20 years occurred in 2006, with at least 6,500 cases in 11 states, many of them at midwestern colleges. That outbreak prompted concerns about the waning effectiveness of the MMR vaccine given during infancy.

Mumps outbreaks tend to happen in winter and spring, in crowded environments (like college dorms). The challenge for Harvard officials is to stop the spread — the virus is contagious even before symptoms appear —before the commencement, which will feature director Steven Spielberg as speaker.

If you're the parent of a college student, or a college student, here's what you need to know about mumps:

First off, why is the viral illness called mumps?

It dates back centuries and comes from terms meaning either to grimace or mumble while eating. That's not a surprise, since the disease causes the salivary glands in the face to swell and painful swallowing.

So what is mumps and how do I know I have it?

Mumps is a disease caused by a contagious virus. The tell-tale sign that someone has mumps is puffy cheeks, although not everyone with mumps has puffy cheeks. Some people just have very mild flu-like symptoms, and often don't even know they have been infected. Although we think of mumps as a childhood disease, anyone who hasn't been vaccinated is vulnerable, as we see in recent outbreaks.

A mumps outbreak at Harvard University that began in early March has climbed to 41 cases as of Thursday, and could impact the school's May 26th graduation ceremony and other campus events.

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