Mumps
What is Mumps?Mumps is a viral infection of the parotid glands. These glands, which normally make saliva, are found either side of the face below the ears and over the jaw bone. The illness used to be common but is rarer now that immunisation with the MMR vaccine is routine. It's spread in saliva or tiny droplets of fluid when someone coughs or sneezes. Those who have mumps are infectious from up to seven days before and up to ten days after the glands first start to swell. The infection isn't usually severe but there's a small risk of more serious complications, including meningitis, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). What are the symptoms of Mumps?Symptoms develop 14 to 24 days after exposure (the incubation period). The illness begins with fever, shivers, tiredness and painful swelling of the parotid glands (one side may be swollen initially but usually both glands are eventually affected). They swell up and feel painful making it difficult for people to open their mouth, talk, eat and drink. The swollen glands give the person a similar appearance to that of a hamster making the infection relatively easy to recognise. Children may complain of earache or difficulty eating and drinking - and sometimes, abdominal pain. Possible symptoms of mumps infection:
Acute pancreatitis and inflammation of the ovaries (called oophoritis) can occur. Inflammation of the testicles (called orchitis) is painful and affects up to one in four men who catch mumps after puberty. Mumps infection causing orchitis doesn’t make a man sterile but can reduce his fertility. Possible complications of mumps infection:
Complications may set in about one week after symptoms begin. In one in ten cases there will be signs of meningitis, while one in 5,000 have encephalitis. Symptoms include headache, neck stiffness, vomiting and dislike of light. Hearing loss may follow mumps but it's usually one sided and transient. How's it diagnosed and treated?It's important to call your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Since mumps is a viral infection antibiotics don't help. Children may be treated at home with pain and fever-reducing syrups such as paracetamol. Give plenty of water but avoid fruit juice, which can stimulate the parotid gland to make saliva, which in turn can be painful. Children are infectious for up to seven days after the onset of swelling. Any swelling of the parotid glands increases over two to three days and then subsides as the high temperature starts to fall. Painkillers ease the muscle aches and relieve the pain that comes with the swollen parotid glands. How can you reduce your risk?Fortunately a safe and effective vaccination is available to protect people from developing mumps infection. This is combined with the measles and rubella vaccination and is called the MMR vaccination. The first dose is given between the age of 12 to 15 months and the second booster dose between the ages of three and five years. Immunisation provides lifelong protection and its introduction saw the number of cases steadily fall. However, recent concerns about MMR being linked with autism and inflammatory bowel disease saw a fall in the number of children immunised with MMR. Consequently the number of people developing mumps infection has risen dramatically and the UK is currently in the midst of a mumps epidemic. If enough people are vaccinated, mumps infection and the possible problems it causes may become a thing of the past. Further helpMost children recover with no long-lasting problems. You should call for urgent medical help if your child remains unwell or develops symptoms of meningitis or encephalitis, as there's a risk of hearing loss and antiviral medicines may be needed. See the parents guide giving answers to common immunisation questions. |
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