Health officials are working to determine how several students at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
LSU has confirmed five students living off-campus have come down with the mumps.
Doctor Frank Welch with the Louisiana office of public health says the contagious disease can spread through contact with saliva or respiratory droplets.
“Mumps is actually happening at many college campuses across the country. It’s probably not surprising that it has come to LSU, but we are taking this very seriously,” Welch explained.
He says they are trying to determine if there’s a connection between the students.
“We’re still at the earliest parts of the investigation when we are trying to figure out whether these students got the mumps from a common source or whether just over the holiday break when they were visiting home and family,” said Welch.
They did not live in the same location.
The Centers for Disease Control says, "Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by a virus. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite. Then most people will have swelling of their salivary glands. This is what causes the puffy cheeks and a tender, swollen jaw."
If untreated, mumps can lead to serious complications.