Infectious Diseases

Mumps

by Gabriela Portillo
Period: 5
Miss Diokas
What are “Mumps”? And what is the
type of pathogen?
Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by a virus. It typically
starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and
loss of appetite. Then most people will have swelling of their salivary
glands (often referred to as parotitis when the parotid gland, located in
front and below the ear, swells). Other names for this virus are
Epidemic Parotitis.

Mumps is caused by a paramyxovirus, a member of the

Rubulavirus family. The average incubation period for
mumps is 16 to 18 days, with a range of 12 to 25 days. 
How is transmitted the Mumps?
This disease is spread through direct contact with saliva or
respiratory droplets from the mouth, nose or throat. An infected
person can spread the virus to the:
• cough, sneeze or talk.
• share objects that may contain saliva, such as bottles of water or
cups.
• participate in activities where there is close contact with other
people, such as playing sports, dancing or kissing.
Symptoms And Signs:
Symptoms of mumps include: fever, swelling, and pain in one
or more salivary glands, usually the parodit gland (located
just below the front of the ear). About of a third of infected
people have no symptoms.

The main sign of mumps is inflammation of the salivary

glands.
Other of the most common signs are: pain when chewing, loss
of appetite, fatigue and weakness, headache, etc.
Main cause of Mumps, Incubation and
sickness time frame
Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, which belongs
to a family of viruses known as paramyxoviruses.
These viruses are a common source of infection,
particularly in children.
Mumps has an incubation period of 16-18 days;
however, cases can arise 12-25 days after exposure.
After this period, prodromal symptoms (such as low-
grade fever, malaise, myalgias, headache, and anorexia)
occur; these symptoms can last 3-5 days.
Is there a vaccine against mumps?
The vaccine is the best way to reduce the risk of your
children getting mumps. It is usually part of a combined
vaccine (MMR) that protects against three diseases:
measles, mumps and rubella.

The MMR vaccine is safe and effective. In most children it does

not produce any side effects, and those it produces are usually
very mild, such as fever or rash.
Interesting information of Mumps.
• Parotitis and orchitis described by Hippocrates in 5th
century BCE
• Mumps is an acute viral illness. In 1934, Claud Johnson
and Ernest Goodpasture showed that mumps could be
transmitted from infected patients to rhesus monkeys and
demonstrated that mumps was caused by a filterable
agent present in saliva. 
• Before vaccine, one of the most common causes of aseptic
meningitis and hearing loss among children and
hospitalization among military
• Vaccination led to over 99% reduction in mumps cases
 Long term effects
Sometimes, mumps can cause complications, especially in adults.
Complications may include:
• Inflammation of the testicles (orchitis); this can cause a reduction in the size of the
testicles (testicular atrophy).
• Inflammation of the ovaries (ovaritis) or breast tissue (mastitis).
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
• Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
• Inflammation of the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
• Deafness.

Outlook on future or disease.

Although global mumps infections have been controlled through vaccination, outbreaks are still on
the rise, including in populations with high vaccination coverage. Several epidemiological studies
suggest that this infectious virus continues to be a worldwide public health threat.
The development and deployment of an improved, prophylactic mumps
vaccine that provides long-lasting protection is indeed a priority.
 A video explain:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Akr5SJQEv_0

Sources:
mayoclinic.org/es-es/diseases-conditions/mumps/symptoms-causes/sync-20375361 
cdc.gov/mumps/about/complications-sp.html
medlineplus.gov/spanish/druginfo/meds/a601176-es.html
mayoclinic.org/es-es/diseases-conditions/mumps/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20375366
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mumps/symptoms-causes/syc-20375361

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468195/