MUMPS


                                                     MUMPS
Mumps is a viral disease caused by the mumps virus. Initial signs and symptoms often include fevermuscle painheadache, poor appetite, and feeling tired. This is then usually followed by painful swelling of one or both parotid salivary glands. Symptoms typically occur 16 to 18 days after exposure and resolve after seven to ten days. Symptoms in adults are often more severe than in children. About a third of people have mild or no symptoms. Mumps is highly contagious and spreads rapidly among people living in close quarters. The virus is transmitted by respiratory droplets or direct contact with an infected person. Only humans get and spread the disease. People are infectious to each other from about seven days before the start of symptoms to about eight days after. Once an infection has run its course, a person is typically immune for life. Reinfection is possible but the ensuing infection tends to be mild. Mumps is spread from person to person through contact with respiratory secretions, such as saliva from an infected person. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the droplets aerosolize and can enter the eyes, nose, or mouth of another person. Mumps can also be spread by sharing eating utensils or cups. The virus can also survive on surfaces and then be spread after contact in a similar manner. A person infected with mumps is contagious from approximately seven days before the onset of symptoms until about eight days after symptoms start. The incubation period (time until symptoms begin) can be from 12–25 days, but is typically 16–18 days. 20-40 percent of persons infected with the mumps virus do not show symptoms, so it is possible to be infected and spread the virus without knowing it.

Epidemiology

Mumps occurs worldwide; the peak incidence is typically in the late winter to early spring, although sporadic outbreaks occur at any time of year. Mumps occurs most commonly among school-aged children and college-aged young adults; it is rare among infants less than one year of age, who have protection via maternal antibodies.
Prevention
§  Exclude the person with mumps from childcare, preschool, school and work for 5 days after the onset of swelling
§  tissues and other objects soiled with nasal secretions should be disposed of appropriately
§  mumps is best prevented by the measles, mumps and
rubella (MMR) combination vaccine
 or the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) combination vaccine
§  almost 100% of people who have had 2 doses of a mumps-containing vaccine will be protected against mumps
§  Vaccination of contacts after exposure will not stop the infection, though it will protect against future exposures.

Management

The treatment of mumps is supportive. Symptoms may be relieved by the application of intermittent ice or heat to the affected neck/testicular area and by acetaminophen for pain relief. Warm saltwater gargles, soft foods, and extra fluids may also help relieve symptoms.

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