MORE than 700 people have caught mumps in an outbreak sweeping students in Scotland.

Diagnoses of the illness are up more than seven-fold on last year, and the majority of those falling ill are aged 15 to 24.

Experts say the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine - which is given in childhood - does not offer 100 per cent per cent protection against mumps.

It is thought those catching the condition may have had a poor immune response when they were first vaccinated or lost protection from mumps as they grew older. As the virus circulates around educational establishments, such as schools as colleges, they are falling ill.

Dr Syed Ahmed, clinical director of Health Protection Scotland said: "It has long been understood that the mumps component of the MMR vaccine gives 60 to 90 per cent protection after one dose, rising to approximately 90% protection after the second dose. Given those facts, there will always be a small proportion of mumps cases diagnosed among young adults who have had two doses of the vaccine. However, these cases tend to get milder symptoms and are less likely to get complications from mumps."

Painful swellings at the side of the face is the most well known symptom of the viral infection, which can also cause headaches, joint pain and a temperature.

In the first 36 weeks of 2015 NHS Scotland laboratories confirmed 782 cases of mumps, up from 107 in the first 36 weeks in 2014.

Those affected vary in age from one to 84, but the median age of patients is 22. More than 60% of those diagnosed are in the 15 to 24 bracket.