Mumps

Topic Overview

What is mumps?

Mumps is a contagious viral infection that can cause painful swelling of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands, between the ear and the jaw. About 1 out of 3 people with mumps will not have gland swelling. They may have an upper respiratory tract infection (URI) instead.¹

What causes mumps?

Mumps is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes near you, or shares food or drinks.

What are the symptoms?

Mumps can affect many body systems and cause flu-like symptoms, abdominal pain, swollen cheeks, and swollen and painful testicles. But up to 20 out of 100 people who are infected with the mumps virus do not have any symptoms.²

The incubation period—the time from when a person is first infected with the virus until the first symptoms develop—is usually 16 to 18 days, although it can be as long as 25 days. Infected people can spread the virus 1 to 2 days before symptoms start and for 5 days after symptoms start.

How is mumps diagnosed?

Mumps is most often diagnosed by a history of exposure to the disease, the presence of swelling and tenderness of the parotid glands, and other symptoms, including neck stiffness, headache, and painful testicles.

If needed, blood tests, such as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, EIA), can be done to confirm the diagnosis and eliminate the possibility that another illness is causing the symptoms.

The mumps virus itself can be identified with a viral culture of samples of urine, saliva, or cerebrospinal fluid obtained by a lumbar puncture. These tests are rarely done.

How is it treated?

In most cases, people recover from mumps with rest and care at home. In complicated cases, hospitalization may be required.

Can mumps be prevented?

Mumps can almost always be prevented by getting a series of shots with the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two shots provide lifelong protection (immunity) against getting mumps: one at 12 months of age, the other at either 18 months or at 4 to 6 years of age.

Most babies do not become infected with mumps during their first year of life because of the short-term immunity they received while in their mothers’ womb. Before the mumps vaccine existed, mumps was a common childhood disease in Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learning about mumps:	What is mumps? What are the symptoms? When are mumps immunizations given?
Being diagnosed:	What kinds of examinations and tests are used?
Getting treatment:	What is the treatment? What can I do at home?
Ongoing concerns:	Are there complications? Can the vaccine for mumps cause autism? Is it safe to travel to countries where mumps is common?

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Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH Carrie Henley	Last Updated: May 29, 2007
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease
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