Mumps

One of the most common and highly contagious diseases of childhood is mumps. This disease is caused by a virus that infects a pair of glands located in front of the ears. When the glands are infected, they become swollen. This gives the cheeks a chipmunk-like appearance. Although mumps can infect adults, it is more commonly found in children between the ages of 5 and 15 years

How mumps is spread
The glands that are infected by the mumps virus normally produce saliva. Because of this, when a person is infected, pieces of the virus become mixed in with the saliva produced by the glands. Any contact with the saliva of an infected person can therefore spread the disease.When an infected person coughs or sneezes, tiny particles of the virus are spread into the air. If these are inhaled by an uninfected person or a person who has not been vaccinated against the disease, that person will become ill with mumps. The disease can also be spread by touching something, such as bedding, that has infected saliva on it.

Symptoms
Once a person is infected with the mumps virus, it usually takes two to three weeks for symptoms, or signs of the disease, to appear. The first symptoms a patient will feel are very general and resemble those of the flu. The patient may have a runny nose and a slight fever. Soon the area in front of the ear becomes swollen and puffy. The swelling can spread to the upper neck and jaw. In most patients, the swelling is found on both sides of the face. The swelling is rarely severe, but sometimes the patient may have trouble chewing and swallowing.

Complications from mumps are rare but they can occur, particularly in older children. In some cases the meninges, a tissue that covers parts of the nervous system, can become inflamed. This leads to a disease called meningitis. Other complications can involve other glands in the body.

Treatment
The main symptoms of mumps—the swollen cheeks and neck—begin to go away after four or five days. There is no specific treatment for mumps. Because it is so contagious, patients should stay home. They should also get plenty of rest. Most patients can return to school or work after the swelling and other symptoms have gone away. However, it is always best to ask a doctor about this.

Prevention
Once a person is infected with mumps, he or she cannot get the disease again. This is called immunity. Another way to gain immunity from mumps is to be vaccinated against the disease. The vaccine used to protect against mumps is very effective. The same vaccine also protects against measles and rubella (also called German measles). Children in the United States usually receive this vaccine twice before they start school.

In some countries the vaccine is not as easily available. Those countries suffer frequent epidemics. This means that the disease spreads to large numbers of people within a short period of time. Epidemics can spread across cities, states, and continents, and they can even spread around the world. It is very important to prevent diseases like mumps from spreading and becoming an epidemic. One way to prevent this is by vaccination. It is very important to discuss the mumps vaccine, and the disease itself, with a doctor.