An outbreak of mumps? Blame the anti-vaxxers

Johnson County is having an outbreak of mumps — a virus almost eradicated from the U.S. until the “anti-vaxxers” movement picked up steam.

A vaccine for mumps, along with measles and rubella, has been available since the 1960s, but some critics believe autism can develop as a side effect.

About 28 Johnson County children have the contagious viral infection, and the number will mostly likely grow.

The outbreak is probably linked to one in Arkansas, where Johnson County students visited relatives, a Department of State Health Services told the Star-Telegram.

Odds are the 428 vaccine “conscientious exemptions” filed in Johnson County for the 2015-2016 year have something to do with it.

When a vaccine is introduced to a mass of people, a pathogen gets eradicated (like polio and rubella in the U.S.) or becomes rare. It’s called herd, or community, immunity and keeps a lot of diseases at bay. But when large groups stop taking the vaccine, herd immunity doesn’t work properly and people get sick — even vaccinated ones.

Cleburne and Keene school districts, where the majority of the cases are, is trying to quell the outbreak with immunizations.

Health services officials say unvaccinated students will have to either get immunized or stay home for 26 days.

Shunning vaccines isn’t conscientious.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 6:08 PM with the headline "An outbreak of mumps? Blame the anti-vaxxers."