TEENAGERS and young adults are being advised to ensure that they are fully protected against mumps.
The warning comes as the latest figures from Health Protection Agency (HPA) Yorkshire and Humber show a sharp increase in cases of the disease confirmed in the past year.
Figures show there have been 590 confirmed cases of mumps in the region so f
ar for 2009, a threefold increase when compared to the 187 confirmed cases reported the previous year.
Dr Stephen Morton, Regional Director for HPA Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "As universities and colleges break for the Christmas holidays and teenagers and young adults return home, we're urging them to ensure they have had two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination before going back to university or college, as these people are particularly vulnerable.
"All Health Protection Units across the region have reported a rise in cases in the past year and as the disease is known to spread in student populations, the HPA is working closely with universities and colleges of further education to inform students about mumps and to explain why vaccination is important."
In recent years, an increase in cases of mumps among older teenagers and young adults in their early twenties has been reported nationally.
This is because some people in this age group were too old to be routinely vaccinated with MMR when it was first introduced in 1988 and some others may only have received one dose of MMR.
And this group, born between 1980 and 1992, are now at university or in further education colleges where the disease tends to spread rapidly from person to person because of greater social mixing.
Dr Morton added: "MMR also gives immunity to measles and rubella and it's not just students who are at risk.
"We would urge all teenagers and young adults to consult their family doctors about having two doses of MMR vaccine if they are currently unprotected.
"Mumps should not be treated lightly. It can be a severe disease, with potential for serious side-effects including viral meningitis, long term hearing problems and painful swelling of the testicles in males and the ovaries in females."
Teenagers and young adults should ensure they have had two doses of the MMR vaccination by speaking to their GP or Practice Nurse who can check their records.
