Mumps – causes, symptoms, treatment, complications. Mumps vaccines

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Mumps is an infectious disease caused by a virus that passes from person to person through saliva, nasal secretions and close personal contact. The disease mainly affects the salivary glands, also known as the parotid glands. These glands are responsible for the production of saliva. There are three sets of salivary glands on each side of the face, located behind and below the ears. A characteristic symptom of mumps is swelling of the salivary glands. Read about the symptoms of mumps and how to treat it.

Mumps – what is this disease?

Mumps is an infectious disease caused by the mumps virus (paramyxovirus). Mumps starts out with a headache of several days, irregular fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Most often it is accompanied by swelling of the salivary glands. This is the main cause of swollen cheeks and jawline.

The mumps incubation period from exposure to symptom onset is 14-18 days. The disease persistence is approximately – seven to ten days. Mumps is usually a mild childhood disease, common in children 5 to 9 years of age. The virus can also infect adults. Complications in adults can include orchitis, meningitis, and deafness.

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Mumps – symptoms

In the initial stage of the development of mumps disease, the symptoms are not clear-cut. During the first 48 hours of infection, mumps develops non-specific symptoms of fever, headache, muscle pain, decreased appetite, and malaise. On the third day of the disease, swelling of the parotid gland is characteristic. The parotid gland is the gland located in front of the ear and above the angle of the lower jaw. The parotid gland is swollen and tender to touch, and ear pain may also occur.

Swelling of the parotid gland can last up to 10 days, and adults generally experience worse symptoms than children. About 95% of people who develop mumps symptoms experience tender parotitis.

Interestingly, approximately 15% -20% of mumps cases do not have clinical signs of infection, and 50% of patients will have only non-specific respiratory symptoms, not the features described above.. Adults are more likely to experience such subclinical or respiratory-only constellations of symptoms, while children 2-9 years of age are more likely to experience the classic form of mumps with parotid gland edema.

Mumps symptoms:

1. Headache,
2. swollen, sensitive salivary glands on one or both sides of the face (parotitis)
3. tiredness,
4. fever,
5. discomfort when chewing or swallowing,
6. loss of appetite.

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Pig – broadcast

Mumps is caused by an infection with the mumps virus. It can be transmitted through respiratory secretions (e.g. saliva) from an already afflicted person. When you get mumps, the virus travels from the airways to the salivary glands and multiplies, causing the glands to swell.

Examples of the spread of mumps include:

1. sneezing or coughing
2. sharing food and drink with an infected person
3. kissing
4. an infected person touches their nose or mouth and then transfers them to a surface that someone else may touch.

People infected with the mumps virus are contagious for about 15 days (6 days before symptoms appear and up to 9 days after symptoms appear). The mumps virus belongs to the paramyxovirus family, which is a common cause of infections, especially in children.

The mumps virus is a single-stranded RNA encapsulated in a double-layer envelope that provides the virus with its distinctive immune signature. It has been shown that there is only one type of mumps virus (as opposed to many types of viruses that can cause the common cold).

Mumps is highly contagious, on the order of the size of both flu and rubella. It only transmits from person to person. Mumps spreads quickly among members living in confined spaces. The virus is most commonly transmitted directly from person to person through respiratory droplets when sneezing or coughing.

Less commonly, respiratory droplets may land on items (sheets, pillows, clothes) and then be transferred through hand-to-mouth contact when touching such items. Pets cannot infect or spread mumps.

See: Is sneezing a symptom of COVID-19?

Mumps – diagnosis

The diagnosis of mumps is based on clinical signs. Swelling of the neck and lower face is a hallmark of mumps infection. In addition, there are several diagnostic tests that can confirm the diagnosis. The most useful tests are blood tests and saliva samples obtained from the mouth of an infected person. Imaging studies can be used to evaluate complications of mumps. Typically, mumps can be diagnosed by symptoms alone, in particular by examining facial swelling.

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Mumps – treatment

There is no specific treatment for mumps. Treatment is focused on relieving symptoms until the body’s immune system is able to fight off the infection. People with severe and severe disease may need hospitalization.

If you or your child have mumps, the following self-care tips may help:

1. rest in bed a lot until symptoms subside,
2. take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Do not give aspirin to children under 16,
3. drink plenty of fluids, but avoid acidic drinks as they can irritate the parotid glands. Water is usually the best fluid to drink,
4. apply a cold compress to the swollen glands to reduce pain
5. Eat foods that don’t require frequent chewing, such as soup, mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Avoid acidic foods as they can stimulate salivation.

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Mumps – complications

There are four serious health complications for mumps: meningitis (infection of the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis, deafness, and testicular inflammation. All four complications can occur without classic parotid gland involvement.

Viral meningitis can occur if the mumps virus has spread to the outer protective layer of the brain (the meninges). It occurs in about 1 in 7 mumps. The risk of serious complications from mumps meningitis is low. Mild light sensitivity, a stiff neck, and headaches are common symptoms of viral meningitis.

Less common health complications of mumps infection include arthritis, pancreatitis, myocarditis, and neurological inflammation (e.g., facial nerve palsy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, etc.).

Mumps and orchitis

Pain and swelling in the testicles (orchitis) affects 1 in 4 men who develop mumps after puberty. Swelling is usually sudden and affects only one testicle. The testicle can also be warm and tender.

The swelling of the testis usually begins 4 to 8 days after the swelling of the parotid gland. Occasionally, swelling may occur up to 6 weeks after the glands have swollen.

Any testicular pain can be relieved with painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If the pain is particularly severe, see your doctor. Applying cold or warm compresses to the testicle and wearing supportive underwear can also reduce pain.

Slightly less than half of those who get mumps-related orchitis notice some testicular spasms. In rare cases, this can cause infertility.

Mumps – vaccine

Mumps vaccine is given in combination with the measles-rubella vaccine (MMR). A single-component vaccine against this disease is not available. Two doses of the vaccine will give you maximum protection.

Immunity after vaccination against mumps is long-lasting and lasts for several dozen years. The efficacy of complete vaccination (ie 2-doses) was estimated to be 79% -86% in protection against mumps.

The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine. Local reactions may occur after its administration, such as pain at the injection site, redness or swelling. General vaccination reactions depend on the age of the person to be vaccinated. Children may develop mild lymphadenopathy, fever, and rash. In adults, joint pain may also occur.

Contraindications to the use of MMR are primarily: allergy to any component of the preparation, known hypersensitivity reaction after previous vaccination, pregnancy, fever, taking medications that reduce the activity of the immune system as well as blood diseases and neoplasms.

Mumps vaccine is only available as a combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Combination vaccines include MMRVAX Pro, Priorix, and Priorix-Tetra.

MMRVAX Pro vaccine

1. Vaccine type: measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, live,
2. Antigens: attenuated strains of measles, mumps and rubella viruses
3. Marketing Authorization Holder: Sanofi Pasteur MSD SNC, France,
4. Form: powder and solvent for suspension for injection,
5. Dose: 0,5 ml;

Vaccine: Priorix

1. Vaccine type: measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, live,
2. Antigens: attenuated strains of measles, mumps and rubella viruses
3. Marketing Authorization Holder: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA, Belgium,
4. Form: powder and solvent for solution for injection,
5. Dose: 0,5 ml.

Vaccine: Priorix-Tetra (currently not available)

1. Vaccine type: measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine, live,
2. Antigens: attenuated strains of measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox,
3. Marketing Authorization Holder: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA, Belgium,
4. Form: powder and solvent for solution for injection,
5. Dose: 0,5 ml.