The IAA One Minute Blog

Texas health officials are warning the public that thousands of cheerleaders may have been exposed to mumps at a national competition in Dallas in February.

Potential Mumps Exposure

Competitors from 39 states and nine countries were present at the National Cheerleaders Association All-Star National Championship from February 23 to 25, where they may have been exposed to the disease after a person with mumps attended the event.

Following the potential exposure, there have been no reported cases to date, though symptoms may not appear for two weeks or at all.

Approximately 230,000 people attended the competition and 2,600 coaches and 23,000 athletes.

Mumps is prevented by vaccination prior to exposure. The mumps vaccine is usually given as a combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) inoculation. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are usually required for children to begin school. Nearly 92 percent of children between 19 and 35 months old receive their MMR vaccine.

Signs and Symptoms

Mumps is an infection from a virus. It spreads through airborne transmission or by direct contact by saliva droplets.  Common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle aches
• Pain while chewing or swallowing
• Tiredness
• Swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides

Symptoms typically appear 16 to 18 days after infection, but this period can range from 12 to 25 days after infection. Symptoms last at least two, but no more than 10 days.

Mumps was common in the United States until the mumps vaccination become routine. Since then, the number of cases has dropped dramatically.

What IAA has to Say

While shots are no fun, vaccinations are the way to keep everyone safe from dangerous diseases. Insurance Administrator of America encourages parents to make sure that not only are their children vaccinated, but they are up to date on their vaccinations as well! Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

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