Blood Test Can Show If You're Protected From Mumps
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PLANO (CBS11) - The recent outbreak of mumps has public health officials reminding everyone of the importance of vaccinations, but they say even if you've had your shot, you could still be under-vaccinated.
That's why some labs, including Any Lab Test Now, are offering an easy way to find out how protected you are.
Drawing blood may make some queasy, but UT Arlington student Davida Batts said that's a small price to pay to know for sure she's protected against mumps. She recently asked her parents which vaccinations she got as a child.
"And they were like, well whatever was needed for school. You know you had to get in school, so whatever vaccinations that they said you needed, then that's what we got done, but which ones I have no idea," Batts said.
Batts' nursing program requires her to have what's known as a titer test to show whether a person has enough antibodies to fight off mumps, but she said she would recommend the test to anyone who wants that peace of mind.
Dr. Jawaid Asghar, the chief epidemiologist at the Collin County Health Department, said the titer test is a good idea. He said in the late 1980s, the Centers for Disease Control changed its guidelines from one to two shots for measles, mumps and rubella.
"There are many adults who had only one shot of MMR, and they did not have the second one," Dr. Asghar said.
Some North Texas labs are seeing a spike in interest in titer tests, especially while college students are home on winter break preparing to go back to school.
"It's a lot of people on a college campus, a lot, and they're from everywhere, from all around the world, and you're around people daily, and you just want to be safe," Batts said.
The test can cost around $50 at Any Lab Test Now and you can expect your results back within a couple of days.
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