April 27, 2012
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
City of Houston Health officials notified us that there has been a confirmed case of mumps in an
individual at Garden Oaks Elementary.
The following information has been provided by the City of Department of Health and Human
Services:
Mumps is a contagious disease that is spread through airborne transmission by coughing and
sneezing. It is an illness normally characterized by parotitis (the swelling of the salivary glands
in the cheek over the jaw in front of the ear), one side may be affected or both sides and
nonspecific symptoms such as pain or muscle aches of the affected area, and additional
symptoms including loss of appetite, a feeling of general discomfort or tiredness, headache, and
low-grade fever. Parotitis usually occurs within the first 2 days of symptom onset and may
present as an earache or tenderness on palpation of the angle of the jaw. Most people with
mumps recover fully.
Mumps symptoms appear 14 to 25 days after infection. It is communicable 3 days before the
onset of the parotitis (swelling of the cheeks) until 5 days after the onset of the swelling. Usually
only close contacts of students with mumps become infected. The MMR vaccine reduces the
risk of getting mumps especially if the person receives two doses. People who receive two doses
of MMR vaccine are about 9 times less like to get the mumps than unvaccinated people who
have the same exposure to mumps virus. However, some people who received two doses of
MMR can still get mumps, especially if they have an intense exposure to the mumps virus.
People who are vaccinated are likely to have a less severe illness than unvaccinated people with
mumps.
The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) recommendations are
as follows.
1) If your child comes down with swelling of one or both cheeks over the jaw in front of the
ear, talk to your child’s doctor. Tell the doctor that mumps has been reported in your
school. Please report possible mumps infections to the school nurse, and the
HDHHS Epidemiology at (832) 393-5080.
2) If MMR is indicated, talk to your child’s doctor about the benefits of vaccination or
contact the HDHHS Centralized Help and appointment desk at (832) 393-5429.
3) If your child is taken to the doctor due to mumps like symptoms, please take this
letter with you.
The Houston Department of Health and Human Services will have representatives
available at the school to answer questions from parents and staff on Monday, April 30th
from 3:15pm – 6:30pm.
For more information about mumps, contact the websites listed below:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/mumps.pdf
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/mumps.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/mumps