Mumps: Penn State’s newest kissing disease?

Fall has arrived at Happy Valley and that usually means three things: daylongs, football games and the Penn State plague. What better season is there to drink and carouse with friends-in flannel-no less? Unfortunately, fall is also full of germs, infections and this year, apparently, mumps.

What is mumps exactly? It’s technically “a contagious and infectious viral disease causing swelling of the parotid salivary glands in the face, and a risk of sterility in adult males.”

But it’s got a funny name, and no one really knows what it actually is. There are 3 confirmed cases on campus already, so maybe we all should invest in hazmat suits instead of that new Penn State gear. It’s transmitted through saliva, so grab the hand sanitizer and kiss sharing drinks goodbye… and kissing for that matter. Still, hard to avoid a disease when no one knows what it is…

The Tab hit the streets to see just what students thought mumps were.

Some had a pretty good idea of what it was.

Matt Watson, Freshman, Engineering

“It’s a disease. I think there’s a fever and you break out but I don’t know what happens after that.”

Nate Ashton, Junior, Health Policy and Administration

“Wait, is mumps going around? I’m not sure it’s some kind of infection or disease. I’m not 100% sure how it’s spread.”

Others were a little more clueless…

Willie Tang, Junior, Risk Management

“What’s a mump? Is it edible? A type of food? A disease….. Does it grow on your body?”

Some knew its symptoms…

Kevin Cali, Freshman, Pre-Vet

“It makes your face fat.”

Others were busy wondering about how it was spread.

Christina Licselle, Senior, Kinesiology

“It affects the salivary glands, so I’m pretty sure someone would have to share saliva to get it….”

(Yes, you can get it through kissing. Say hello to the new kissing disease.  Protect your lips at the next daylong, folks.)

So, there you have it, one more thing to worry about as you enter into autumn: crisp leaves and infectious diseases. Happy fall!