Mumps is a disease caused by a virus and occurs only in human beings. Mumps is found all
over the world. Mumps is a contagious disease when the salivary glands, on one or both
sides of the jaw, swells. Mumps usually occurs in school age children, but young adults
may catch the disease. Everyone born before1957 has already had mumps. After one attack
of mumps, you will have lifelong immunity. The mumps virus is spread by contact of
another person's discharge from the nose or mouth. The virus is present in these
discharges from six days before symptoms to nine days after the glands begin to swell.
The virus will then incubate for two to three weeks before symptoms appear.
Symptoms include headaches, jaw being painful and tender to the touch, fever, and
difficulty swallowing. The swelling usually disappears after seven to ten days. Some
complications includedeafness (usually only in one ear), arthritis, meningitis
(inflammation of brain membranes) and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). One
of every four male adults with the virus will develop orchtis,which is inflammation of
the testes. Sometimes females will have inflammation of the ovaries. Extremely rare
cases will result in sterility. Mumps is diagnosed by symptoms, but a blood, urine or
saliva test can confirm that you have the virus. Treatment of the virus includes diet of
soft foods, bed rest, and pain relievers. The mumps vaccine is given to children that
are about twelve months old. The vaccine is usually conbined with measles and rubella
vaccines, which is called the MMR vaccine.
|