Mumps is a relatively mild viral infection of the salivary glands that usually occurs during childhood. Typically, mumps is characterized by a painful swelling of both cheeks. In some cases, the swelling may occur in only one cheek, or there may be no swelling at all. The word "mumps" comes from an old English word meaning lumps or bumps in the cheeks.
Mumps is a disease, usually of children, caused by a virus. With mumps, your salivary glands swell. Specifically, these are the parotid glands, and they are located below and in front of each ear. The virus is spread by direct contact with an infected person's sneeze or cough. Humans are the only known natural hosts. The disease is more severe if you get it as an adult.With nearly universal immunization in childhood, there are fewer than 1,000 cases of mumps per year. Most of the reported cases are in children aged 5-14 years. The infection is more common during late winter and spring.
Mumps is most common around the month of March. It usually appears in scattered individual cases, though there are occasional local epidemics among unvaccinated children. It's less infectious than chickenpox or measles. Unvaccinated adults who never had the disease are at much higher risk of complications than are children, but mumps rarely cause serious damage.
Causes and risks
The mumps are caused by a paramyxovirus, which is spread from person to person by saliva droplets or direct contact with articles that have been contaminated with infected saliva. The parotid glands (the salivary glands between the ear and the jaw) are usually involved. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 are most commonly infected, but the infection can occur in other age groups. In older people, other organs may become involved including the testes, the central nervous system, the pancreas, the prostate, the breasts, and other organs. The incubation period is usually 12 to 24 days.
The virus that causes mumps is harbored in the saliva and is spread by sneezing, coughing, and other direct contact with another person's infected saliva. Once the person is exposed to the virus, symptoms generally occur in 14-24 days. Initial symptoms include chills, headache, loss of appetite, and a lack of energy.
Symptoms
In children, the first sign of mumps is swelling of the salivary glands, but adults sometimes run a temperature and feel ill a couple of days before the glands enlarge. At first, the swelling is often uncomfortable or painful. If the disease occurs after puberty, the testicles may become swollen and painful in males; a similar condition may affect the female ovaries, sometimes leading to sterility.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for mumps. Ice or heat packs applied to the neck area and with acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help relieve pain. Do not give aspirin to children with a viral illness because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.Warm salt water gargles, soft foods, and extra fluids may also help relieve symptoms.
Complications of Mumps?
In rare cases, deafness, meningitis and swelling of the testicles or ovaries (if mumps occurs after puberty) will occur.
