Health: Philadelphia Mumps Outbreak

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Health officials are investigating a mumps outbreak at a Jewish Boarding school in West Philadelphia. A health advisory was sent out by the Health Department to warn local doctors.

Nineteen adolescent and young adult males who live at the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia have suspected cases of mumps, even though several students were vaccinated, according to the Philadelphia Health Department.

"It's not 100 percent, so even though you've been properly immunized there's still a risk of contracting mumps," said Dr. Anat Feingold, the head of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Cooper University Hospital. She says most children born after 1967 are vaccinated against Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

But the mumps vaccine doesn't work in about ten percent of people. It's spread through close contact, mainly by coughing and sneezing.

"Mumps is a viral, respiratory illness that's exchanged from respiratory secretion," said Dr. Feingold.

The main symptoms of mumps are swollen and tender salivary glands, in the neck. Other symptoms include fever, headache, and muscle aches.

"It gets dangerous because there's some people who get very sick, and there actually have been some deaths associated with mumps," said Dr. Feingold.

The conditions of the students have not been released. The health department says there is no risk to the general community at this time, and is working with the school to contain the outbreak.

Doctors say anyone who has not been vaccinated against the mumps is at risk, and adults can be vaccinated.

Reported by: Stephanie Stahl, CBS 3

RELATED LINK:
Mumps Information