|
Mumps is an acute viral disease caused by mumps virus leading to swelling and tenderness of one or more salivary glands, usually the parotid.
It usually occurs in children between 5 and 15 years but can also occur in older people. Mumps is more common during the winter and spring seasons.
Mumps virus is transmitted by:
- Droplet spread.
- Direct contact with saliva of an infected person.
Reservoir
Humans
Incubation period
12 - 25 days (commonly 18 days).
Signs and Symptoms
- Fever up to 103 degrees
- Swelling and tenderness of one or more of the salivary glands (usually parotid). Pain gets worse when the child swallows, talks, chews or drinks acidic juices (like orange juice).
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- No symptoms at all (about 1/3 of cases)
- Rare complications include: encephalitis, meningitis, arthritis, kidney involvement, inflammation of the thyroid gland and breasts and deafness. Orchitis (inflammation of the testicles) can develop in adolescent and adult males.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is usually clinical.
Laboratory diagnosis:
- Detection of mumps IgM antibody.
- Demonstration of specific mumps antibody response in absence of recent vaccination.
- Isolation of mumps virus (not vaccine strains) from clinical specimen.
- Detection of mumps nucleic acid.
Treatment
Usually supportive, antipyretics (tablets to lower the temperature), etc.
Control and Prevention
Children and infected persons should not attend school or workplace up to 9 days following onset of swelling.
Immunisation programme: Live attenuated vaccine is available as single or part of the MMR.
|
