Mumps (patient information)

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Mumps

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

When to seek urgent medical care?

Diagnosis

Diseases with similar symptoms

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Mumps?

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Prevention

Mumps On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Mumps

Videos on Mumps

FDA on Mumps

CDC on Mumps

Mumps in the news

Blogs on Mumps

Directions to Hospitals Treating Mumps

Risk calculators and risk factors for Mumps

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Alexandra Palmer

Overview

Mumps is a contagious disease that leads to painful swelling of the salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva, a liquid that moistens food and helps you chew and swallow.

What are the symptoms of Mumps?

  • Common symptoms include:
  • Other symptoms of this disease that can occur in males:

What causes Mumps?

  • The mumps are caused by a virus. The virus is spread from person-to-person by respiratory droplets (for example, when you sneeze) or by direct contact with items that have been contaminated with infected saliva.
  • Mumps most commonly occurs in children ages 2 - 12 who have not been vaccinated against the disease. However, the infection can occur at any age.
  • Mumps may also infect the:

Who is at highest risk?

Anyone in direct contact with someone with mumps is at risk for the disease. Also, people who have not been vaccinated against mumps are at increased risk for the disease.

When to seek urgent medical care?

  • Call your health care provider if you or your child has mumps and:
  • Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if convulsions occur.

Diagnosis

Diseases with similar symptoms

Treatment options

  • There is no specific treatment for mumps.
  • You can also relieve symptoms with:
  • Extra fluids
  • Soft foods
  • Warm salt water gargles

Where to find medical care for Mumps?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Mumps

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Patients usually do well, even if other organs are involved. After the illness, the patient has a life-long immunity to the mumps.

Possible complications

Inflammation of testis can occur. Rarely, it may lead to infertility.

Prevention of Mumps

MMR immunization (vaccine) protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. It should be given to children 12 - 15 months old. The vaccine is given again between ages 4 - 6, or between ages 11 - 12, if it wasn't given before. Recent outbreaks of the mumps have reinforced the importance of having all children vaccinated.

Sources

National Library of Medicine

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