PARENTS have been urged to be on the lookout for signs of a Victorian illness as cases surge.
Waning immunity is believed to be behind the resurgence of conditions such as mumps, experts in the US have warned.
The study comes as cases of another Victorian illnesses have been rising.
Scarlet fever is on the up in the UK, with viruses circulating at high levels.
Medics also warned that this could be down to a lack of immunity after kids were kept indoors during the Covid pandemic.
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Mumps is a contagious viral infection that used to be common in children before the introduction of the MMR vaccine, the NHS states.
In 2021, nearly 25million children across the globe missed their first jab, with a further 15million also missing their second dose, the World Health Organisation (WHO) states.
Recently in the US, cases of measles have also been on the rise, with an outbreak in Ohio having infected around 80 children.
Experts at the University of Georgia have now said that in order to protect children from these illnesses, a regular booster should be administered.
Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the medics said that approximately 33 per cent of individuals lose vaccine-derived immunity by 18 years of age.
As of January 5, 2023, a total of 322 mumps cases were reported by 42 jurisdictions during 2022, the Centre for Disease Control in the US states.
The CDC states that since 2006, cases of mumps have continued to rise.
In the second quarter of 2022, there were 1,123 cases of mumps in the UK, compared to 880 in the first quarter, data from the UK Health Security Agency states.
What are the signs of mumps you need to know?
The NHS states that symptoms of mumps usually develop 12 to 25 days after becoming infected with the mumps virus.
Guidance states that the signs to look out for include:
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- Swelling of glands
- Pain and difficulty swallowing
- headache
- joint pain
- feeling sick
- dry mouth
- mild abdominal pain
- feeling tired
- loss of appetite
- a high temperature
Medics state that one in six cases of mumps won't show any signs.
But it's not just cases of mumps that are rising and the most recent data from the UKHSA states that cases of scarlet fever are also on the up.
So far this season (from 19 September to 1 January) there have been 35,616 notifications of scarlet fever.
This compares to a total of 4,192 at the same point in the year during the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018 – although cases in that season started to rise at a different point.
In 2017 to 2018 there were 30,768 scarlet fever notifications overall across the year.
Cases of invasive strep A have also risen, with 34 children now having died from the illness in the UK.
Guidance states that Strep A infections spread by close contact with an infected person.
They can then be passed on through coughs and sneezes or from a wound.
Group A Streptococcus — Streptococcus pyogenes — is a bacteria that can cause mild illness.
This can include sore throats and skin infections, alongside tonsillitis, cellulitis, and scarlet fever, which is flu-like and tends to occur in children - it can be serious if not treated swiftly with antibiotics.
In rare cases, the bacteria can trigger invasive Group Strep A disease, which can prove life-threatening and even fatal.
The symptoms of invasive strep and scarlet fever you need to know
There are four key signs of Group Strep A to watch out for, according to the NHS. These are:
- A fever (meaning a high temperature above 38°C)
- Severe muscle aches
- Localised muscle tenderness
- Redness at the site of a wound
The invasive version of the disease happens when the bacteria break through the body's immune defences.
This can happen if you're already feeling unwell or have an immune system that’s weakened.
The NHS says that when it comes to scarlet fever, your child will most likely start off with cold-like symptoms.
- high temperature
- sore throat
- swollen neck glands
- rash 12-48 hours after initial symptoms. This usually starts on the tummy and then spreads
- white coating on the tongue
- red cheeks
If you are worried about your child's symptoms you should see your GP or call 111.
In the event of an emergency, always call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department.
