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Mumps Makes Comeback In U.S.

Posted at 8:37 PM, Jan 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-06 21:47:29-05

Scientists say the mumps has made a comeback, especially among young people; so local high school seniors and college students are being vaccinated.

Ben Grizzell wants to enjoy his final few months of high school, and doesn't want any strange illness to keep him down. So he's all for immunizations to fight illnesses .. and thinks other young people should be as well. 

"Mumps is a very contagious disease.  Here at Any Lab Test now, we have a very simple test to see if you're immune or not. Sometimes adults have been vaccinated but they have forgotten and they're not sure what they had when they were a child," said Hilda Wilsdorf, with Any Lab Test Now.

In The U.S., all kids are vaccinated for the mumps, but that doesn't last forever.

"Mumps vaccine, good as it is, and it's very good, however, it's protection begins to wane after 10 to 15 years," said Dr. William Schaffner.

So when those kids become young adults, they're at risk. The Center for Disease Control says last year, the number of mumps cases reached a 10 year high.

And the disease would likely come from overseas. Mumps can be serious, but usually it's just a fever, aches and pains, then mumps swelling.

Yet, it can be avoided for the most part by getting vaccinated.