Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Iowa experiencing mumps epidemic
WSYX 6 News ^ | March 31, 2006

Posted on 03/31/2006 1:44:21 PM PST by flutters

A puzzle for health officials and a worry for parents. Iowa is experiencing an epidemic of mumps.

State health officials say 245 confirmed, probable or suspected cases were reported as of yesterday. State epidemiologist Patricia Quinlisk says that's enough for officials to call it an epidemic and not just an outbreak.

Quinlisk says before this year, Iowa counted only about five cases annually. The illnesses that have spread across more than a third of the state add up to the country's only mumps outbreak, and Iowa's first such epidemic in more than 20 years.

Federal health watchers say they have no answers yet about the cause.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Iowa
KEYWORDS: bushsfault; epidemic; mumps; publichealth
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 last
To: null and void

Yeah, when I hear people say they don't get the flu shot because they don't believe in it, I want to tell them that the flu believes in them, and even if getting it is only an inconvenience to them, it could be deadly to an elderly person or child that they pass it to.


81 posted on 03/31/2006 2:42:03 PM PST by Flavius Josephus (War today is always cheaper than war tomorrow.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: flutters

I can't imagine why this outbreak has occured as Iowa schools (at least when my kids were growing up there) REQUIRED proof of MMR vaccination in order to attend school. My wife worked as a school nurse in Iowa and was constantly checking immunization records.


82 posted on 03/31/2006 2:43:52 PM PST by The Great RJ ("Mir wölle bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Flavius Josephus
Ha,Ha,ain't that the truth!With 6 kids in the family,attention was hard to come by.We were allowed full access to the couch,And sympathy from family members!The school never needed to call about truancy cause they knew my mother.She was a no nonsense woman,and if they called they could expect a butt chewing!But,all joking aside,the mumps were,by far the Pitts.
83 posted on 03/31/2006 2:48:42 PM PST by xarmydog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Flavius Josephus
Well, Woody is a lib.Plagiarism and libs go hand and hand.

I vote your dad first.

84 posted on 03/31/2006 2:50:03 PM PST by lysie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Husker24
What are the symptoms?

I'm not sure but I found a website that details it pretty clearly:

Kids Health - Mumps

85 posted on 03/31/2006 4:03:40 PM PST by flutters (God Bless The USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: DBrow

Good question. What people would not have had the vaccination required in the states? HMMMMMMMMMMMMM? This is for the politically correct crowd that won't call the shots as they are. To them you can only say - DUH?????????????


86 posted on 03/31/2006 4:09:42 PM PST by jackadams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Velveeta
because the strain seen in Iowa has been identified by the CDC as the same one that has caused tens of thousands of cases of the mumps in a major outbreak in Britain over the past two years.

Thanks for posting that information. I haven't heard of an outbreak before this story.

The parents that opted out of vaccines may be sorry. The worse thing for a mother is watching her child suffer...and from the posts here, it sounds like it's not pleasant to go through.

87 posted on 03/31/2006 4:14:44 PM PST by flutters (God Bless The USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Liberty Valance
We currently have an outbreak of chicken pox in our local grade school here in small town Texas.

There is now a vaccine for chicken pox. My daughter had chicken pox in the mid '90's and her doctor was able to give her a shot that prevented additional pox from appearing. She had a very mild case. The catch is, you had to get the shot within 24 hours when the symptoms appear.

88 posted on 03/31/2006 4:19:23 PM PST by flutters (God Bless The USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: OB1kNOb
Dr. Tom Safranek, said people 30 to 65 years old who haven't had the disease or been vaccinated are most at risk.

YUK! I guess I'm in that category. I had the vaccinations that left an ugly mark on your upper arm (only mine didn't take). This could get ugly.

89 posted on 03/31/2006 4:26:59 PM PST by flutters (God Bless The USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: me-here
That makes a great deal of sense. I was, of course, thinking it was an immigration issue, but if there's an indigenous population with reasons not to get vaccinated, that could be it.

The original article would have been so much better if they had gone into demographics, explaining who and what age group is involved.
90 posted on 03/31/2006 7:03:06 PM PST by DBrow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: flutters
That's funny, I don't recall Iowa being a border state... But, like Virginia, I suppose that's what it has become.

Thanks, Washington.

91 posted on 03/31/2006 7:33:04 PM PST by detsaoT (Proudly not "dumb as a journalist.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DBrow
The original article would have been so much better if they had gone into demographics, explaining who and what age group is involved.

I found a local article that tells a lot more but the link didn't work

I'll try again, I hate learning HTML

Iowa mumps outbreak Sioux City Journal

92 posted on 03/31/2006 7:47:14 PM PST by me-here
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: Awestruck
I got it on my 8th birthday and it's not pleasant.. unfortunately my father caught it too! Not a good thing in adult males because it can hamper their ability to have children.. might explain why I'm an only child...

It ain't just the infertility, it's the journey. I knew a kid who got mumps at age 16. The swelling affects a more sensitive place than your throat.

93 posted on 03/31/2006 7:50:45 PM PST by js1138 (~()):~)>)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: me-here

I think that was the source article. Thanks for posting it.


94 posted on 03/31/2006 8:11:36 PM PST by flutters (God Bless The USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: js1138

exactly! ouch!


95 posted on 04/01/2006 2:05:49 AM PST by Awestruck (All the usual suspects)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: me-here
I'll try again, I hate learning HTML

Nully's FR HTML Guide

96 posted on 04/01/2006 8:15:49 AM PST by null and void (Start worrying. Details to follow...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: me-here

Great article. It explains a lot more.

Thanks for posting!


97 posted on 04/01/2006 5:53:20 PM PST by DBrow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: sageb1

I could tell by your description that you've had them.

Same here, as a kid.


























98 posted on 04/01/2006 6:00:39 PM PST by 2111USMC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: 2111USMC
Geez 2111USMC!

What's with that big white space below your post?
99 posted on 04/01/2006 6:04:40 PM PST by 2111USMC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson