Mumps

Mumps is the disease caused by the mumps virus, a member of the family Paramyxoviridae, of the genus Rubulavirus. It is a vaccine-preventable disease that only occurs in humans.

Vaccination against mumps prevents the disease. Most people from industrialised countries have likely been immunised for mumps virus already since the mumps vaccination is commonly part of a routine vaccination schedule. By the end of 2009, the mumps vaccination was included in the national immunisation schedules of approximately 114 of 193 World Health Organization member states. The cases of mumps have declined considerably wherever there is an immunisation program against the disease.

Everyone is susceptible to mumps unless they have received vaccination or have had mumps in the past.

General symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, muscle soreness, swelling and tenderness of salivary glands under the chin, and respiratory symptoms. Complications of the mumps disease can include: orchitis, oophoritis, or mastitis (inflammation of the testes, ovaries, or breasts, respectively), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), meningitis or encephalitis (inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain or of the brain itself, respectively), and deafness.

There is no specific treatment for mumps except for symptomatic care, such as applying ice or heat to swollen areas.

Although mumps outbreaks may occur anywhere in the world, they are more likely to occur in countries that do not have immunization programs for mumps. These countries include: all of Africa (except Libya and Egypt), Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, most of southeast Asia (except Thailand), Japan, South Korea, and some countries in the Caribbean.