.C. health officials warn public about mumps outbreak

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..C. health officials warn public about mumps outbreak

Updated Wed. Aug. 27 2008 6:55 AM ET

The Canadian Press

AGASSIZ, B.C. -- A British Columbia health official says a spreading mumps

outbreak began with a Fraser Valley religious group that shuns immunization.

" It's part of their belief system that this is not the right thing to do, " said

Dr. Brodkin, medical health officer for the Fraser Health Authority.

Brodkin said Tuesday that people who aren't vaccinated are at highest risk to

contract the viral disease that's passed from person to person through saliva.

" This outbreak at least got going because it took hold in an unimmunized

community so they are the ones who are really sitting ducks for infection. "

She said 200 people have so far contracted the virus that has travelled west as

far as suburban Burnaby, prompting the B.C. Centre for Disease Control to

convene a provincial task force that will meet in two weeks to come up with a

strategy to deal with the outbreak.

Brodkin said the virus originally travelled to B.C. from Alberta, where 300

people had been infected.

" We've tried to do advertising to the general public about the importance of not

sharing spit because that's how this thing has spread, " she said.

" We're calling it the don't-share-spit campaign, " she said.

Those at high risk include university students living in tight-knit communities

that act as factories to spread the virus but everyone is being advised not to

share water bottles, drinking cups, musical instruments and cigarettes.

Brodkin said people should cough and sneeze in their sleeve.

Target groups like health-care workers are receiving more than the required two

doses of vaccine and doctors in the Fraser Health region have been sent letters

advising them of mumps symptoms that could mimic a cold or flu, Brodkin said.

About one-third of people who've been infected with the virus don't have any

symptoms but could still be spreading it while those who show signs could have

swelling of the glands under the jaw and chin or even have meningitis, she said.

Some men may also have inflamed testicles.

Immunity to mumps isn't lifelong and even people who've had the disease 30 years

ago could contract it again and need to be revaccinated, Brodkin said.

In B.C., children are immunized at 12 and 18 months but need to be revaccinated

years later, she said.

In an average year, less than 100 cases are reported across Canada, but

outbreaks in several provinces have caused numbers to jump considerably.

In Nova Scotia, an outbreak that began in February 2007 affected more than 700

people, mostly university-aged patients.

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