News Releases

Mumps Confirmed on USM Campus

November 29, 2007

USM is working under the recommendations of Dr. Dora Mills and the Maine Center for Disease Control (Maine CDC) to implement more stringent vaccine requirements for certain populations of USM students in light of a confirmed case of mumps at USM.

State law requires college students to show proof of receiving one MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine or proof of inoculation by titer.  Students can opt out of receiving the MMR vaccine on religious or medical grounds, but sign a document warning that if an outbreak occurs they may be asked to leave campus.

Tuesday, November 27, USM received confirmation from the National Center for Disease Control that a student who sought medical attention earlier in the month did have mumps.  That student was sent home for nine days and has since returned to campus and is in good health.

In light of this outbreak, Maine CDC told USM to request that all full-time and/or resident hall students who take classes on the Portland and Gorham campuses, who were born after 12/31/1956 have a second MMR vaccine or show proof that they have received one or are immune by titer by Wednesday, December 5. 

Students who have not had any MMR vaccines need to have the first MMR by December 6 followed by the second MMR vaccine 28 days later.  Students in this targeted group who do not comply with the new Maine CDC rules will not be allowed on campus. University Health and Counseling Services will be offering MMR vaccine clinics on the Portland and Gorham campuses Wednesday, December 5 for students.  Students will be notified by e-mail and mail that they need to update their vaccines.

People with mumps are contagious three days before showing symptoms and nine days after showing symptoms.  Only 30-40 percent get facial swelling.  Twenty percent show no symptoms at all, but can spread the disease.  It is an extremely contagious disease spread by saliva.  Mumps is a mild disease, but can display serious complications.  For more information about mumps, see http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mumps/dis-faqs.htm.

For more information, call Judie O’Malley or Bob Caswell at USM Public Affairs, 780-4200.  They also can be reached at home, 839-6402 (O’Malley) or 839-2026 (Caswell).

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