THERE has been a dramatic increase in mumps among teenagers and young adults in South Lakeland and North Lancashire, reports Allan Muirhead.

The Health Protection Agency described the figures as "a huge surge" and urged older teenagers and college-age people to seek advice about protecting themselves.

Throughout the two counties, there have been 475 notifications - which includes confirmed and unconfirmed cases - so far this year, compared with 52 in 2003.

l In Cumbria there have been 104 incidents to date.

l In Lancashire there have been 371 cases to date.

Health officials say most cases have involved people born between 1980 and 1991.

There have also been steep increases in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside.

Chief executive of Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust Leigh Griffin said: "Numbers can vary from year to year, and we know that last year the figures were very low. However, we would strongly encourage people to take up the MMR vaccine."

The PCT said it has had 16 reported cases this year, eight in the past week. Several are at Lancaster University, and a vaccination programme is being drawn up by public health officials.

Mumps is an infectious viral disease. It can have serious complications including a mild form of meningitis; ear infections; inflammation of the pancreas; swelling of the testicles in adult men; and inflammation of the ovaries in women.

Professor Qutub Syed, the Health Protection Agency's North West director, said the resurgence was in teenagers and young adults who missed out on MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) when it was introduced in 1988.

"MMR is safe, proven and effective. It offers lifelong protection. And it's not just for young people. Anyone in a school or college environment who has not previously had two doses of the vaccine should seek protection.

"Parents and guardians can help stamp out mumps by ensuring that children receive two doses of MMR by the age of five. Currently eight out of ten five-year-olds are immunised. If we can get the uptake rate above 95 per cent we will stop these potentially dangerous viruses circulating in the community."