Doctors diagnose 15 students with parotitis at University of Kentucky

We have a health alert from the University of Kentucky. Doctors at the student clinic say in the last week, 15 people have come in with parotitis. Parotitis is a swelling of the jaw that can often be a symptom of a bigger virus.

"I have a friend who's already freaking out about it thinking he had all the symptoms," said Zach Irvine, a freshman at the University of Kentucky, "whenever something goes around here, everybody is so close in all the dining halls and dorms that everybody ends up catching it."

15 people on campus have come down with parotitis. Doctors describe it as a swelling of the jaw, and anyone diagnosed with it is asked to stay away from classes and friends for at least five days.

UK's Director of Nursing, Mindy Scott, says their clinic noticed the cases last week.

"What we're seeing coming in is swelling either on both sides, or just one side. Sometimes fever, some of the students have had fever, some have not. Body aches, chills, but mostly it's the swelling right through here. And some pain depending on how much swelling there is, some of them have actually had problems eating," said Scott.

Health leaders say parotitis can often be a symptom of another infection, like mumps.

"Just having any virus like the flu, mono, even HIV can cause this swelling in this parotid gland. So it can be a number of viruses, we're just not sure yet," said Scott.

Scott is hoping to have test results back from cases by the end of the week. Those results should give them a much better idea of how the students developed parotitis.