HEALTH bosses have urged parents to get their children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella with the combined MMR jab, amid concerns at the increasing number of cases of mumps in Bolton.

Already this year there have been six suspected cases of mumps in the town -- the same number of suspected cases that were reported for the whole of 2002.

Three Turton High school students have been diagnosed with mumps, and there have been a further three suspected cases at the school.

Health bosses fear the number of mumps cases could rise as fewer people are opting to immunise their children with the MMR jab.

Significantly, say health bosses, the cases identified at Turton High School involve older pupils who would not have received a second MMR jab as a toddler, or who were born before the MMR jab was introduced.

The Department of Health recommends that all children and young people should receive two doses of MMR vaccine to provide protection against the diseases, as one in 10 children will not respond to the first dose.

The first dose of vaccine is given between the age of 12 and 15 months, and the second booster dose between the ages of three to five years.

Bolton Primary Care Trust is making arrangements for any Turton High School pupils in year 11 and in the upper and lower sixth forms, who wish to be vaccinated, to receive an MMR vaccination.

Nursing consultant Jane Gill, of the Greater Manchester Health Protection Unit, said: "More than 95 per cent of children used to be vaccinated with the MMR jab, but negative publicity about the vaccine and fears that it can lead to autism has meant the vaccination rate has dropped."

In the past, mumps was a common childhood illness. In recent times, successful immunisation programmes have meant only a small numbers of ases occur each year in the UK.

The vast majority of people make an easy recovery. However, it can sometimes cause serious complications such as meningitis, brain infections, deafness, or sterility due to infection of the ovaries or testes.

Mumps is a disease caused by a virus that can infect many parts of the body, especially the parotid salivary glands -- which are found toward the back of each cheek, in the area between the ear and jaw.

Mumps is spread by direct contact with saliva and discharges from the nose and throat of infected individuals.

Other parts of the country are seeing a rise in cases of mumps. A dozen suspected cases of mumps are being investigated at a college in Darlington and some have been confirmed. This had lead to mass vaccination programme being offered by health chiefs in the area.