Key fact

Mumps and Laboratory Confirmation of Diagnosis

In recent months, several mumps outbreaks have been reported to the InVS in universities, among young adults, a significant proportion of whom had received one or two doses of the MMR vaccine. Outbreaks have also been reported in other countries under similar circumstances (e.g., in the U.S., Israel, Ireland, etc.).

The forms for the confirmatory diagnosis of mumps cases are now available online on the CNR Measles/Paramyxoviridae website at the Caen University Hospital (http://www.chu-caen.fr/docservice.php?id_service=129&typeserv;=1&ref;=p2) for the confirmatory diagnosis of mumps cases in the context of clustered cases. The saliva kits (known as “measles” kits) available at Regional Health Agencies can therefore now be used to perform PCR testing. For optimal results, this sample must be collected very early, within 4 days of the onset of symptoms.

In practice, since mumps is not included in the list of Notifiable Diseases, any information regarding clusters of cases received by the Regional Health Agency (ARS)—except in the case of a direct report to the regional InVS unit—must trigger a response from the ARS to the person reporting the cluster, in order to confirm cases prospectively.

The information will be posted on the InVS website in a dedicated thematic section in the coming days.