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Mumps is a very contagious infection of one or more of the salivary glands and is caused by the mumps virus. These glands are located on either side of the face, below the ears. Mumps is spread from person to person through direct contact with saliva or discharges from the nose and throat of infected persons. Mumps can be spread by coughing, sneezing and even just talking.
Risk Factors
Before a vaccine was available, nearly every child got mumps but now the number is much lower. Children who are not vaccinated are still very likely to get the disease; persons who have not been vaccinated against mumps are the main risk group and unvaccinated school-aged children are most at risk. The mumps vaccine is part of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine series given to children beginning at one year of age.
Signs & Symptoms
The main symptoms are severe swelling and soreness of the cheeks and jaw. Mumps usually starts with neck or ear pain, loss of appetite, tiredness, headache and low fever. One third of persons infected with the mumps virus have no symptoms. Symptoms usually start 12 to 25 days after infection with the virus and mumps can be diagnosed by a blood test or culture.
Treatment & Prevention
There is no specific medical treatment for mumps. Excess fever should be controlled, and warm moist towels can help relieve the discomfort of the swelling. Children with mumps should be kept home from school or day care until 9 days after the swelling begins, or until the swelling goes away.
Complications
Severe complications are rare but mumps can cause hearing loss, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), and inflammation of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Swelling of the testicles (orchitis) occurs in 15-25% of infected males. Bilateral mumps orchitis experienced prepubertally seems to have no effect, but mumps orchitis experienced postpubertally is associated with severe testicular damage in 10% of patients.
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Recommendations and treatments for Mumps:
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GLOSSARY
Discharge (Discharges)
A secretion, of pus for example, from a wound or bodily orifice.
Gland (Glands)
The glandular system is one of the most important and complicated systems of the body. Gland tissue can be either an organ or general tissue that secretes chemicals and there are two types of gland: exocrine and endocrine. Those glands which secrete chemicals through tubules or ducts are called exocrine and include sweat, tear and salivary glands. Ductless glands - part of the endocrine system - secrete special chemicals (hormones) directly into the blood.
Mumps
An acute infectious disease, caused by a paramyxovirus, and most common in children. Although it usually infects the parotid glands, and is often only a mild condition, it can spread to the testes or ovaries and cause serious problems, particularly when contracted by unresistant adults. A mild child's infection that is not properly monitored holds the potential for pancreatic or meningeal complications.
Orchitis
Inflammation of the testes, manifested by swelling and tenderness, usually infectious, sometimes the result of trauma.
Saliva (Salivary)
The watery mixture of secretions from the salivary and oral mucous glands that lubricates chewed food and moistens the oral walls.
Testicles (Testicle, Testicular)
Egg-shaped sex glands in the scrotum that secrete male hormones such as testosterone, and produce sperm.
Virus (Viri, Viruses)
Any of a vast group of minute structures composed of a protein coat and a core of DNA and/or RNA that reproduces in the cells of the infected host. Capable of infecting all animals and plants, causing devastating disease in immunocompromised individuals. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, and are completely dependent upon the cells of the infected host for the ability to reproduce.
Last updated: Oct 08, 2008
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