A case of mumps was reported at Carson High School and officials are urging parents to be watchful but calm.
"We're not closing school and we don't want kids to stay home," Superintendent Mary Pierczynski said. "We've only had one case. We just want people to be aware. We also want physicians in town to know that we've had a case of the mumps reported at the high school."
High school officials were notified Tuesday by the State Health Department that a student from the school was diagnosed with the virus. Last year, six cases of mumps were reported in Nevada.
The symptoms of mumps include a low-grade fever and swelling or tenderness of one or more of the salivary glands in the cheeks and under the jaw.
"It's like when you get a sore throat but it's more swollen," explained Marena Works, chief nurse for the Carson City School District. "It can be on one side or on both sides."
She said the virus will likely not spread because students in the Carson City School District are required to receive the MMR immunization, protecting against mumps, measles and rubella.
If parents suspect their child may have contracted the virus, they should consult their physician.
Mumps in young and adult males may result in the development of orchitis, an inflammation of the testicles, a condition that can lead to a decreased sperm count.
Mumps may also lead to encephalitis or meningitis, inflammation of the brain or the lining of the central nervous system.
It can also affect the pancreas or, in females, the ovaries, causing pain and tenderness in the parts of the abdomen.
