Mumps
Transmission
The virus has an oral transmission, ie transmitted through saliva droplets or objects contaminated by infected by saliva.
Incubation
The range is 12 to 25 days and is contagious from 1-2 days before to 5 days after the onset of inflammation of the gland. Mumps is endemic particularly in urban areas and occurs mainly in winter and spring, mainly affects the age group 5 to 15 years, while rare under 2 years.
Symptoms
The onset is sudden, with a swelling between the ear and jaw that in 75% of cases, after a few days also appears on the other side.
It is associated with fever and other nonspecific symptoms such as body aches, headache, malaise, but especially the child has difficulty chewing and swallowing. Touching where we just jaw pain sensation even before it manifests swelling. It may be associated with swelling of the face and neck.
Complications
Meningoencephalomyelitis headache is common and may be associated with meningeal signs or, more rarely, seizures and drowsiness. Nervous symptoms usually disappear, but sometimes it can be unilateral nerve deafness, facial paralysis or polyneuritis.
Pancreatitis: rarely occurs suddenly stomach pain nausea and vomiting.
Orchitis, epididymitis: is rare in prepubertal children, is most common in adolescents and adults. Orchitis usually occurs about 8 days after viral localization in salivary glands, but can also occur as a primary manifestation: in 30% of cases are affected both testicles. The testicle is swollen, and swelling of the scrotum which also appears edematous and reddened. It lasts about 4 days and about and only 13% of cases may have fertility problems.
Therapy
Since this is a viral disease, no specific drugs. It is useful, until the fever disappears, administration of antipyretics. The food supply may consist of semi-liquids (soup, vegetable soup) and avoid acidic beverages (juices).
Vaccine
In Spain mumps is within the immunization schedule for children at 18 months, is known as MMR, with a booster dose between 5 and 6 years.
By Photo Credit:Content Providers: CDC/ Dr. F. A. Murphy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons