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What is mumps?
Mumps is caused by the
paramyxovirus. Of the common childhood illnesses,
it is the disease with the longest incubation
period and can take as long as three weeks from
infection to outbreak.
The
virus is contagious for about a week before the
disease breaks out, which can make it difficult to
track down the source of infection.
How do you catch
mumps?
Mumps is a viral infection spread
by airborne droplets from the nose or throat.
However, it is the least contagious of the five
major children's diseases and requires close
contact before infection can occur.
Though small children can get
mumps, the disease is most common after the age of
two.
Today, most children are vaccinated
against mumps with the MMR (measles, mumps,
rubella) vaccination.
The virus enters the body through
the airways, then passes around the body in the
bloodstream. It can end up almost everywhere - the
kidneys, thyroid gland, pancreas, sexual glands
and, not least, the salivary gland. The virus
thrives in the parotid salivary glands, which lie
in the cheeks just in front of the ears.
What are the
symptoms of mumps?
Mumps usually begins with two days
of discomfort and an increasing temperature. This
is followed by an uncomfortable feeling in the
jawbone and a swelling of the parotid glands.
Often the swelling occurs unevenly, on one side of
the face before the other. It is only possible to
get mumps in one of the glands. The body
temperature may rise to 40oC and the
swelling can feel oppressive and sore. The
earlobes stick out and the child's face eventually
looks very swollen. The child experiences pain
when opening their mouth. In mild cases the
swelling may only last three to four days, but it
can go on for a week or more.
How does the doctor
make the diagnosis?
Usually the doctor makes the
diagnosis based on the symptoms.
What complications
may arise?
Although the swollen parotid glands
and high temperature caused by mumps may be
unpleasant, the most serious repercussions involve
possible infection of other organs.
In 20 to 30 per cent of the cases
of adult men with mumps, the disease infects the
testicles (orchitis) causing swelling, pain,
soreness and a higher temperature. This often
occurs about a week after the disease has broken
out, and is a serious infection that may cause
sterility.
However, among the few sexually
mature men who contract mumps, only half get
orchitis. Of these patients, only 10 per cent are
affected in both testicles, and even then it does
not necessarily cause sterility. If sterility
occurs, there is still a chance that fertility may
return.
Boys who have not reached puberty
and are not sexually mature rarely get this kind
of inflammation of the testicles.
The risk of women contracting
oophoritis - inflammation of the ovaries - is even
smaller than inflammation of the testicles in men.
However, should this happen, it has no effect on
fertility.
Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
is a recognised but uncommon complication.
A less rare complication of mumps
is meningitis, which may appear 3 to 10 days after
the onset of mumps. This is an inflammation of the
membranes of the brain or spinal cord.
Meningitis is a serious disease,
but in connection with mumps it is usually mild.
However, it still requires close attention and
special care of the patient. The symptoms of
mumps-meningitis are:
-
headache
-
aversion to bright light
-
possible vomiting
-
typically a stiff neck, leaving patients unable
to touch their chest with their chin and causing
the head to bend slightly backwards.
How are mumps
treated?
Apart from staying in bed while the
swelling and temperature is at its highest, mumps
demands no special attention.
Mumps are a part of growing up for
many children. If they contract the disease later
in life, the risk of the unpleasant complications
listed above is far greater.
Children can return to childcare
institutions or school when they are feeling well
and the swelling of the glands has subsided.
Who should be
vaccinated?
Today it is recommended that all
children get the MMR vaccination, which contains a
vaccine against mumps. This vaccine gives the same
lifelong immunity and protection against the
disease as the disease itself.
In the UK, it is offered to all
children between 12 and 18 months with a second
booster dose before starting school between the
ages of three and five. |
