THUNDER BAY -- When Sidney Crosby’s swollen face hit the news last week, mumps became a trending topic inside and outside the hockey world.
But the odds of someone in Thunder Bay becoming infected are slim.
In fact, there hasn’t been a reported case of the viral infection in more than 10 years, says an official with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
The disease, which primarily affects the salivary glands, hasn’t been common in Canada since a vaccine was first introduced.
“We don’t usually hear too much about it because people are immunized for mumps,” said Diana Gowanlock, the health unit’s manager of infectious disease programs.
“What happens with mumps is it can cause symptoms of muscle aches, tiredness and fever. It can lead to some complications as well. But what’s unique about mumps is that about 45 to 50 per cent end up with swollen salivary glands, so that’s more characteristic.”
Mumps vaccinations are usually given in a combination with measles and rubella shots, though most people are encouraged to have a booster shot for mumps alone, which is believed to increase the effectiveness of the preventative treatment.
If people don’t know if they’ve had their second mumps vaccine they could call their physicians office or call the health unit and have them look up their records to see if they have had their two shots,” Gowanlock said.
“There are certain populations that haven’t had the second one.”
At least 14 players on five NHL teams were sidelined by the disease, including several members of the Minnesota Wild.
Gowanlock said she isn’t that surprised the disease is making its way through the National Hockey League. Hockey is a sport where players share equipment and water bottles and they’re in close quarters.
The disease is spread through saliva and a person can be infected by breathing in droplets of a person who has just sneezed or coughed, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It can also be transferred by sharing utensils or drinking from the same cup or water bottle, a practice Gowanlock said most local hockey teams discourage.
“It’s a little more possible to have it in those situations,” she said. “And no immunization is 100 per cent effective. A mumps vaccine, depending on which resource you look at, is anywhere from 88 to 95 per cent effective with two doses.”
