UNIVERSITY PARK – Officials from University Health Services report that an off-campus student at the Penn State University Park campus is showing signs of a probable case of the mumps. UHS staff have been in touch with those who have been in close contact with the individual.
Mumps is a communicable disease caused by a virus that spreads through direct contact with respiratory secretions or saliva, and can affect many parts of the body. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite, followed by swelling of the salivary glands.
No additional cases have come to light at this point, University officials said. Centers for Disease Control guidelines recommend that anyone born after 1956 should have two MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations. For more information about the mumps, visit the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov online. Students who have concerns can call the University Health Services nurse advice line, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 814-863-4463, or they can check their personal immunization records. UHS is open on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Individuals needing a vaccine can contact University Health Services appointment line at 814-863-0774, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. UHS is open on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5p.m.