Mumps

Mumps is an acute viral infection primarily characterized by painful swelling of the parotid glands, which are the major salivary glands located at the angle of the jaw. It is caused by the mumps virus, a member of the Paramyxoviridae family. Transmission occurs via respiratory droplets or direct contact with saliva from an infected individual. After an incubation period of about 16-18 days, symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite may precede the hallmark parotitis. While generally a self-limited disease, mumps can lead to complications including orchitis in males (inflammation of the testicles), oophoritis in females (inflammation of the ovaries), meningitis, encephalitis, and hearing loss.

Historically, mumps was a common childhood illness, but the incidence has significantly decreased with the introduction of the mumps vaccine, usually administered in combination with measles and rubella vaccines (MMR). There is no specific antiviral treatment for mumps; management focuses on symptomatic relief, such as administering analgesics for pain and antipyretics for fever. It is important for individuals with mumps to avoid contact with others to prevent the spread of the virus, especially within the first five days of symptom onset when they are most contagious.