In Brief
- Continued mumps outbreaks in Kerala raise alarm among health experts.
- Studies reveal immunity gaps and complications requiring urgent attention.
- Genetic differences exist between the circulating mumps virus and the vaccine strain.
- Exclusion of MMR vaccine from immunisation programme creates prevention gap.
Kerala is facing ongoing outbreaks of mumps, leading to renewed calls for the inclusion of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). Health experts and studies from the state have identified immunity gaps among children, highlighting the risks posed by mumps complications that can cause long-term disability.
Recent research indicates that the strains of mumps virus currently circulating in Kerala differ genetically from the strain used in the existing MMR vaccine. This finding has raised concerns about vaccine effectiveness and the need to reconsider vaccination strategies to better match local virus strains.
Despite mumps being a common childhood infection with potential serious complications, the MMR vaccine has not yet been included in India's UIP, which covers vaccines provided at no cost to the public. The continued absence of the MMR vaccine in the programme is seen as a significant gap in disease prevention efforts, especially in areas like Kerala experiencing frequent outbreaks.
Health officials and researchers are advocating for policy revision to incorporate the MMR vaccine into the UIP. Doing so could reduce infection rates, prevent disabilities caused by mumps, and address the immunity gaps currently documented among children in Kerala.
