While college students across the country are dealing with the stress of finals, they must now add another worry to the list. On campuses around the nation, students are contracting the Mumps, a viral disease that infects the salivary glands. While universities require students to prove they are up to date on their Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, the inoculation does not protect against the Mumps completely. In fact, recent research shows that of the three viruses the vaccine is intended to protect against, it is the least effective against the Mumps.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), symptoms of the Mumps, also known as Parotitis, include fever, headache, tiredness, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and the signature swollen and tender salivary glands. Typically, becoming infected, an individual will exhibit symptoms after a 16-18 day incubation period. However, some will not show signs of the illness for 12-25 days. Most people recover in a few weeks.

Harvard University is the latest college to report an outbreak on its campus, and many students are concerned the illness will affect graduation. Students who contract the disease are immediately quarantined in their dorm rooms so as to not infect fellow classmates. Earlier this year, several other colleges saw spikes in the disease, which is now considered rare in the United States. The University of Idaho, The University of Texas, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have all reported several cases each.

It is believed that colleges and universities are a prime target for the spread of diseases like the Mumps because of the manner in which students are exposed to each other. Students sit in classes with one another for extended periods of time, live in close quarters, and often spend their free time together as well. The Mumps is transmitted by a sick person’s mucus or from saliva when they cough, which makes the spread of infectious germs very easy in such settings. According to researchers at MIT, sneezes have a range of up to 200 feet, which obviously makes it difficult to prevent the spread of diseases like the Mumps.

While the epidemic at Harvard continues to spread, officials are not planning a major response at this time. When students leave for the summer, it is assumed the illness will stop being spread from student to student. However, the students who will remain on campus are not being taken into account.

It is unclear how or if the Mumps will spread across the country as the year progresses. The outbreak at the University of Idaho spread to Washington State, which is indicative of the disease’s staying power. Students should take caution to avoid those who are ill, and remember that the best way to prevent the spread of germs is simply to wash your hands and take precautionary measures such as: taking vitamins and eating a balanced diet. Should you start exhibiting the symptoms of the Mumps, it is best to visit a physician and quarantine yourself if you receive a positive diagnosis.