Tests fail to confirm suspected mumps case

BANGOR – Final test results have failed to confirm a suspected case of mumps in an employee at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, a hospital spokeswoman said Monday. Laboratory results from the federal CDC in Atlanta were returned on Friday, Nov. 30.

The suspected case was reported on Nov. 19, about a month after the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced several confirmed cases of mumps in southern and central Maine. Hospital officials said last week that the employee, who works in housekeeping at the hospital, has since recovered fully.

Mumps testing is not especially accurate, according to Jeff Beckett, assistant epidemiologist at the Maine CDC.

“There is a high incidence of false positive and false negative results,” Beckett said Monday. While a specific individual’s laboratory tests may fail to confirm mumps, Beckett said, the case remains of interest to public health officials charged with mapping the spread of the potentially dangerous viral disease.

All suspected cases of mumps are investigated for potential links to other confirmed or suspected cases, he said, even though the symptoms – which may include fever, sore throat, fatigue and general aches and pains in addition to the trademark swollen salivary glands – may be caused by a number of other common viruses.

As of noon Monday, Beckett said, there were eight confirmed cases of mumps in Maine and 33 suspected cases. Two weeks ago, the state issued new recommendations for mumps vaccine administration in schoolchildren, college students and hospital employees.

Meg Haskell may be reached at mhaskell@bangordailynews.net or 990-8291.