Fights a Mumps OutbreakWritten by Cynthia Kirk 02 May 2006 I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Health Report.. Mumps used to be common in the United States in babies, children a
Trang 1Midwestern U.S Fights a Mumps Outbreak
Written by Cynthia Kirk
02 May 2006
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Health Report
States in the American Midwest are working to contain an outbreak of the mumps virus Health workers are vaccinating college students and others who live or work close together
Mumps used to be common in the United States in babies, children and young adults In nineteen sixty-seven, researchers developed a vaccine to prevent it
Mumps is usually not serious There is a risk, however, that it can lead to problems like infection of the brain and hearing loss In women it can cause failed pregnancies; in men it can cause testicular damage
Iowa is the state most affected by the outbreak
Since December, Iowa has reported more than one
thousand cases of mumps, either confirmed or
suspected Health officials say young adults
eighteen to twenty-five years old have had the
highest number of cases in Iowa
This is the largest mumps outbreak in America in
years The United States has had an average of
fewer than three hundred cases yearly since two
thousand one
Mumps generally causes high body temperature, headaches, muscle pain and tiredness It also causes painful swelling of salivary glands near the jaw line, especially below the ears
People with mumps are sick generally for about a week or so Many people get mild cases Some infected people never even get sick
The virus spreads easily That can happen when infected people sneeze, cough, kiss or share food or drinks People who touch surfaces with the virus on it can also get
infected Hand washing can help prevent the spread of mumps
There is no treatment Most American children receive a combined vaccine to prevent mumps and two other diseases: measles and rubella
2006: A college student in Iowa
gets a mumps vaccination
1957: A boy with mumps, 10 years before a vaccine was developed
Trang 2Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the outbreak might have begun at a college And it might have started with a traveler Britain has been dealing with a mumps outbreak that has resulted in more than sixty thousand cases
C.D.C officials note that the British cases have happened mostly in young adults who had only one injection of mumps vaccine or none at all The experts say one vaccination should prevent about eight out of ten cases of mumps Two should prevent about nine out of ten
Young adults in the Midwest are being urged to find out if they had one or two
vaccinations as children, or any at all
This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Cynthia Kirk Read and listen
to our reports at voaspecialenglish.com I’m Steve Ember