University of Iowa vaccinates 4,800 students for mumps

IOWA CITY - Since announcing two weeks ago plans to provide free measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations for University of Iowa students, about 4,800 students have received doses.

UI Student Health and Wellness partnered with Johnson County Public Health earlier this month to offer students under age 25 free third 'booster” doses of the MMR vaccine after the number of mumps cases on campus surpassed 100.

Officials on Friday didn't provide updated numbers of UI-specific cases, but the Iowa Department of Public Health reported 139 cases in Johnson County as of Thursday. Only 12 other counties in Iowa have reported seeing mumps cases since July 12. And of that total, only Linn County, with four cases, and Black Hawk County, with 12 cases, reported more than one.

UI officials said they're glad to have protected so many students before they head home for Thanksgiving break this coming week.

Officials said they're glad to have protected so many students before they head home for Thanksgiving break this coming week.

'We're very pleased with the turnout at the clinics,” Lisa James, associate director for clinical outreach at UI Student Health and Wellness, said in a statement.

And James encouraged students who haven't received the booster shot to do so with their health care provider over break - before coming back to campus.

Health care providers have said students living in close quarters - like residence halls, apartments, fraternity and sorority houses - and those in group activities, like athletics, band, or other clubs are especially susceptible to the illness and should make sure to get vaccinated.

They are not recommending the third dose for UI faculty, staff, or students age 25 or older.

The university disseminated the vaccine over the past two weeks via eight clinics at various sites across campus, including three in residence halls. Beginning Nov. 30 - following the Thanksgiving break - students can get vaccinated at the UI Student Health and Wellness Outreach Office at G103 in the Iowa Memorial Union until doses are depleted.

The mumps virus spreads person-to-person through cough or direct contact with items that have been contaminated with infected saliva. Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, jaw pain, and swollen glands.

In more serious cases, the illness can cause long-term complications like deafness and testicular swelling, both of which have occurred in UI students this semester, according to Patricia Quinlisk, medical director for the Iowa Department of Public Health.

'Mumps can also rarely cause inflammation of the brain and pancreatic problems,” she said in a statement. 'Bottom line, this is not a disease that you want to get.”