UW Madison mumps outbreak. All cases fully immunized.

[postulater]

This seems strange. All the cases have been fully immunized.

Why wouldn't there be non-immunized cases showing up, at least proportionally?

You gotta know that there are at least some students who are not immunized.

And it seems like if anyone would be susceptible to getting mumps they would get it at a higher rate.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/health/warnings-issued-as-mumps-cases-rise-at-uw-madison-b99252479z1-256081091.html

[Gormy Cuss]

1. It says in the article that waning immunity is the suspected culprit.

Also says :

Overall efficacy of the MMR vaccine is quoted at 88%, but that's more immediately after vaccination, Roberts said. The vaccine's efficacy drops over time, especially in those immunized 20 years ago.

[MisterP]

2. the set-it-and-forget-it-model hasn't been used by doctors since--what, the 50s?

same story as antibiotics (the other "silver bullet&quot , I guess

[postulater]

4. Right, so even if the vaccinated students' immunity drops back to baseline,

wouldn't we expect to see at least the proportional number of non-vaccinated also affected (since they are also at baseline immunity)?

And yes I know the number of non-vaccinated is likely small, but it is not zero, so we should see at least some non-vaccinated affected.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. It may be that there are no unvaccinated cases on campus

but yes, one would expect to see some cases in the greater community too and those could include people without the full course of MMR vacs.

[jwirr]

3. Who are the ones getting mumps? Children, adults? I see it was students at the UW. We used to think

that there were some pretty bad side effects for adults, especially males. Maybe we need to develop a buster shot.

[Jenoch]

6. My dad got the mumps when he was in his late 30s.

He got the mumps after his three sons, including me, got them. It's a much more severe illness for adults. Thankfully, my father recovered fully (even though he was done having children).

[jwirr]

7. Yes, that is what we saw also.

[Jenoch]

9. My dad's golfing partnet had somehow gotten the mumps multiple times.

He delivered some paperbacks by pulling into the end of our long driveway and tossing them onto the grass. I think I was 5, but I remember running out there to pick up the books for my father.

[B2G]

5. Not just UW Madison

Outbreaks are occuring on a number of campuses. One of my friend's sons is recovering as we speak.

[pnwmom]

10. There are probably multiple competing strains, as with many viruses.

So as some strains are eliminated, others have a chance to thrive. Unfortunately, these can be stronger strains.