The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Department of Public Health
William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute
305 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Bureau of Infectious Disease
Division of Epidemiology and Immunization
Tel:  (617) 983-6800 
Fax: (617) 983-6840 
www.mass.gov/dph/epi
www.mass.gov/dph/imm

MARYLOU SUDDERS
Secretary
EILEEN M. SULLIVAN
Acting Commissioner

CHARLES D. BAKER
Governor
KARYN E. POLITO
Lieutenant Governor

Parotitis and Influenza:  Enhanced Surveillance Requested

January 16, 2015

On January 10, 2015, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report on Epi-X requesting more information about patients with lab-confirmed influenza who are diagnosed with parotitis.  Parotitis is an uncommon complication of influenza.  Since December 2014, CDC has been notified of diagnosed parotitis with lab-confirmed influenza in multiple states.

To assist with case finding MDPH requests that any persons fitting the following case definition be reported to the Division of Epidemiology and Immunization, at 617-983-6800, or in Boston, to the Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5611:

1)	Lab-confirmed influenza

and

2)	Clinical diagnosis of parotitis or clinical signs and symptoms compatible with parotitis (i.e., swelling of parotid gland or salivary glands, blurring of mandibular margin)

and

3)	Symptom onset on or after October 1, 2014

Incident cases
For incident cases, providers are asked to obtain an NP swab or throat swab for influenza testing at the Hinton State Laboratory Institute (HSLI), or hospital or commercial lab, in addition to a buccal swab and serology for mumps IgM testing at the Hinton State Laboratory, if mumps is suspected.  In addition, testing for mumps IgG at a hospital or commercial lab is helpful.  For guidance about specimen collection and testing at HSLI, please call 617-983-6800.  For testing at HSLI, providers should complete the generic specimen submission form for the mumps testing, and the respiratory surveillance submission form for the influenza testing. 

Providers should continue to report suspected cases of mumps to the local board of health and MDPH.  

For questions, please call the Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617-983-6800 and in Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5611.