VACCINES are being offered to thousands of Southampton students following an outbreak of mumps across the city.

Mass immunisation sessions have been arranged at the University of Southampton and Southampton Institute tomorrow and Friday.

The move comes after at least 13 students - around ten at the university and three at the Institute - were struck down with the illness.

Health officials have stressed cases in Southampton remain lower than in some parts of the UK, but are higher than anticipated for this time of year.

The situation is being monitored by the Health Protection Agency, which recorded 185 confirmed cases of mumps across the south east in the first six months of this year - 140 of them among young people aged between 15 and 24.

Mumps was almost wiped out in the 1990s but has returned, affecting in particular teenagers and young adults who missed out on the vaccine as children.

There is no treatment other than remedies to ease the symptoms, which include headache and fever followed by swollen glands. Southampton City Primary Care Trust, which is responsible for GP surgeries in the area, is working to ensure students who have not had mumps - and have not already been immunised - can get vaccinated over the next few weeks.

Health advice about possible symptoms has also been issued to students, with any thought to be infected urged to make all efforts to isolate themselves. A spokeswoman for Southampton City PCT said: "The people most vulnerable are those born before 1988, when the MMR became a routine vaccination.

"Individuals who did not receive at least two of the three MMR vaccinations are more vulnerable than those who did."

The University of Southampton has hastily set up an immunisation programme, which will see students born after 1982 and before 1990 offered jabs at three different venues tomorrow.

Students thought to be at risk are urged to check with their parents for their MMR history. A helpline has also been set up.

University spokeswoman Sarah Watts said: "A vaccination programme has been organised and we have e-mailed all students.

"We are aware of ten cases at the moment, which is low compared to many parts of the country. There is no major panic and we are just following the advice of the PCT."

Students and staff at Southampton Institute have been informed of the mumps outbreak via e-mail, student newsletters and plasma screens around the campus.

Any young people who are concerned are urged to visit their GP for a vaccine or attend a free immunisation session at the Herbert Collins Building between 9am and 4pm on Friday.

MUMPS FACTFILE:

Mumps is a viral infection of the parotid salivary glands, which are located just below and in front of the ears.

The mumps virus is transmitted through airborne droplets from coughs and sneezes.

Mumps in normally a mild illness, although in a minority of cases there can be severe complications such as deafness and meningitis.

There is no cure for mumps. The body heals itself by producing antibodies to the virus - providing immunity for the rest of the person's life.

Since 1988, when the childhood measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunisation was introduced, mumps has become less common in the UK. In recent years there has been an increase in cases because some parents do not let their child have the MMR vaccine.