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Arkansas Mumps Epidemic Raises Questions on Childhood Vaccine Immunity

J. Froelich
/
KUAF
Melisa Laelon is executive director of the Arkansas Coaltion for Marshallese in Springdale, and she serves on the Arkansas Minority Health Commission. She contracted the mumps virus in November.

A major mumps outbreak in Arkansas which started last autumn has affected both children and adults, especially in the states's migrant Marshallese community. Because a majority sickened by the virus are vaccinated, scientists are investigating if vaccine immunity is to blame.

Jacqueline Froelich is an investigative reporter and news producer for Ozarks at Large.
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