BATON ROUGE – Cheerleader groups from Louisiana and 38 other states are being warned to watch for symptoms of mumps after a popular cheerleading competition in Texas last month.

Teams from Baton Rouge were among the groups who attended the National Cheerleaders Association All-Star National Championship at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas Feb. 23-25. A person from another state traveled to Texas for the competition, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday.

Texas officials sent letters to competitors that they may have been exposed to mumps. Some 23,600 athletes attended the competition as part of 1,320 teams and 2,600 coaches. Groups were from 39 states and nine countries.

Mumps is spread through saliva or mucus of an infected person. Symptoms include puffy cheeks, swollen jaw and may also include fever, aches and fatigue. Sometimes, people may not have any symptoms. Though, it could take 14 to 25 days to show signs of an infection.

There is no treatment for mumps, but most people recover in a few weeks. People who are ill with it are told to stay home for as many as five days after symptoms appear.

The Dallas newspaper reported on its website that no Texas residents have developed mumps in connection with the case.

Texas health officials told WBRZ, 15 Louisiana gym groups attended the competition. 

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