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Mumps in Ireland

28 February 2019

The Irish Health Service ExecutiveLink reports that there have been 381 cases of mumps in Ireland in the first 8 weeks of 2018. Cases have occurred across the country and most are teenagers and young adults.

Advice for Travellers

Child Travellers

The British National Schedule stipulates that children should receive two doses of MMR vaccine; the first at 1 year old and the second between age 3 years and 4 months - 5 years old.

Infants from six months of age travelling to mumpsendemic areas or to an area where there is a current outbreak should receive MMR (Green Book, chapter 21 ). Points to consider:

  • Administration of MMR vaccine to children under 9 months constitutes off-label (unlicensed) use of the vaccine but should be considered.
  • If the child is under 12 months old, the efficacy of the vaccine may be reduced by the presence of maternal antibodies. This dose should not be 'counted' in the childhood schedule and two further doses should be given at appropriate intervals.
  • For children aged between 1 and 3 years the second dose of MMR can be brought forward to one month (or longer) after the first dose.
  • If the second dose given is less than 3 months from the first and the child is less than 18 months old, a third dose should be given at the usual time for the second dose, i.e. at 3 years and 4 months - 5 years (pre-school dose).

Adult Travellers

  • 1 dose of MMR vaccine is approximately 64% effective in preventing mumps, 2 doses give better protection. Mumps vaccination in the UK was introduced in 1988 as part of a single dose MMR vaccine schedule. Routine use of a 2 dose schedule did not occur until 1996.
  • Most UK residents born before 1970 will have been exposed to mumps and have natural immunity.
  • Those born after 1970, and before 1996 may have had no, or only 1 dose of MMR vaccine. Such individuals should be offered 1 or 2 doses of MMR vaccine to ensure they have received a total of 2 doses if travelling to areas where mumps is endemic or outbreaks are occurring. MMR can be given irrespective of a history of measles, mumps or rubella infection. If two doses of MMR are required, then the second dose should be given one month after the first.
  • Public Health England have produced an algorithm for the vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status

For further information see Measles, Mumps & Rubella.