UK conducting tests after students report swollen salivary glands

At least 15 University of Kentucky students have sought medical attention because of swollen salivary glands over the past week and a half.

On Friday, the UK administration sent an email to students, urging anyone with the symptom to visit the UK Health Service.

UK HealthCare spokeswoman Kristi Lopez said Monday that the university has tested students for mumps, but tests have come back negative.

“They are looking ... to see if they have mono, if they have flu,” she said.

The parotid salivary glands are above the angle of the jaw, just anterior to the ears, according to the email. Swollen salivary glands, or parotitis, can be caused by various kinds of viruses and bacterial infections.

UK health officials have consulted with their own Infection Prevention and Control workers and the Kentucky Department of Public Health about the situation, according to the email.

In order to avoid spreading the condition, those with parotitis have been asked to isolate themselves for five days, staying in their dorm rooms or apartments, or to wear a mask if they must go out.

Mumps has made a resurgence on college campuses in recent years.

Kansas State University, Butler University and Indiana University Bloomington officials are keeping an eye out for new cases after several students were confirmed to have mumps in recent weeks.

Outbreaks were reported last year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and University of Iowa.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 7:31 PM with the headline "UK conducting tests after students report swollen salivary glands."