Students may have to put their best arm, leg or cheek forward while they grin and bear another vaccination.

In light of a recent outbreak of measles at Rutgers University's three campuses, Penn State's University Health Services is encouraging students to check their measles immunization status.

Students who have not contracted the disease or been immunized after the age of 12 months will need to get a booster dose of the vaccine, according to a news release from University Health Services.

"This is the first I've heard about it," said Karen Schoener (sophomore-marketing and international business), who said she can't remember if she has ever had a measles shot.

"In the back of my mind I'm probably worried about it, but not enough to go to Ritenour and get a shot," she said.

The cost of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is about $40 to $45, said Rebecca Taranto, University Health Services' allergy and immunization nurse.

"It depends on the cost of the serum when health services purchases it," she said.

The virus is transmitted from person to person, generally by "airborne droplet infection" from the nose, throat or mouth, Taranto said, adding that it is usually necessary to be in the same room as an infected individual to contract the disease.

Symptoms of infection include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, all of which last about two weeks. More serious complications entail hearing loss, pneumonia and encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, she said.

Although there has not been an outbreak of measles at University Park during the last decade, the last time the University embarked on an immunization program was spring 1991.

At that time, health officials were concerned about reports of the disease at other campuses, and that students traveling during spring break would contract the virus and bring it back to Penn State.

There has only been one reported case of measles this year in Pennsylvania, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the state's Immunization Office in Harrisburg.

The outbreak at Rutgers involves about 20 reported cases of the illness and three confirmed cases, according to a Rutgers Health Services recording. No physicians or nurses were available for comment because all university employees and students must either be immunized or provide proof of proper immunization within the next two days.