The Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, is warning state residents about potential concerns regarding mumps exposure due to an outbreak in neighboring Arkansas that has sickened more than 2,500 individuals since its onset in August 2016.
In a Jan. 18 release, Dr. Dreyzehner encouraged all parents and adults to consult with their healthcare providers regarding the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine both for their children and themselves.
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"We are talking about this now because we are obviously worried about the significant rise in mumps cases in neighboring states and want everyone to be sure they are up to date on immunizations before it's too late," said Dr. Dreyzehner. "Mumps is a viral illness acquired through close contact with an infected person. It is usually a mild condition in children but can have more serious complications for adults. We should all be sure we and the people we care about are current on immunizations."
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