Type 1 diabetes has ties to mumps

Regarding “A health coverage awakening” (Point of View, June 9): Something Oklahomans may not know is that mumps can lead to Type 1 diabetes in 3.4% of mumps cases. Most folks think mumps is no big deal and affects salivary glands, and some know it can affect the testicles of males. Less known is that the infection can affect the pancreas and cause it to malfunction, leading to Type 1 diabetes. From July 2016 to August 2017, Oklahoma had a mumps outbreak with 641 cases. From 2000 to 2005, the maximum number of cases nationwide was only 338 per year. About 22 Oklahomans will have Type 1 diabetes from the mumps outbreak we had. Vaccine hesitancy led to Oklahoma's mumps outbreak and is now responsible for the nationwide measles outbreak that has no signs of letting up. Please vaccinate!

Ervin Yen, M.D., Oklahoma City