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Mumps is a contagious viral infection of the salivary glands, caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to the family of Paramyxoviridae.
Parotid glands are the predominantly affected salivary glands.
The symptoms of mumps usually appear between 14 to 25 days following the initial infection.
It is important to note that not everyone with the infection develops symptoms.
However, when people develop symptoms, they may vary in severity.
The characteristic sign of mumps is painful swelling of the parotid glands, which produces the look of chipmunk cheeks.
Patients may also have mild to moderate fever.
Additional symptoms include headache, muscle pains, especially in the jaw and neck, excessive tiredness, pain on chewing and swallowing, loss of appetite, and throat pain.
Untreated mumps infection can lead to various complications.
Some of them include meningitis and encephalitis, deafness, inflammation of the testis in males, and inflammation of the ovaries in females.
The diagnosis of mumps is based on a combination of the medical history, clinical assessment, and laboratory studies.
Laboratory Evaluations include PCR analysis of throat swabs, saliva, or urine samples, and serologic testing for antibodies against the virus.
Viral cultures are no longer being used to diagnose mumps as it takes a long time.
When complications are suspected, further evaluations should be done accordingly.
Treatment of mumps is focused on reducing symptoms and preventing complications of mumps.
Some general measures include bed rest, adequate hydration, pain relief, and soft diet.
In addition, warm compresses might help relieve pain and swelling in the parotid glands.
It is important to keep in mind that aspirin should be avoided in children and adolescents as it increases the risk of Reye’s syndrome.
If complications occur, they should be identified and corrected early.
Although immunization cannot treat an existing mumps infection, it is an effective prevention strategy. The MMR vaccination is quite efficient at preventing mumps.
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