Mumps
What is it?
- Mumps is an infection caused by a virus.
- Most children are immunized against Mumps.
- There is no treatment for Mumps.
Signs and Symptoms
- Fever, headache, pain, swelling and tenderness in one or more salivary glands in the neck (parotitis).
How do you get it?
- Spreads generally during face-to-face contact or by direct contact with saliva (spit) and droplets from the nose or throat from a person sick with mumps, such as coughing, sneezing, sharing drinks, kissing, or from touching an object that was used by the sick person (toys, door knobs).
- It can take 12 to 25 days after you become infected for symptoms to appear.
- Mumps is contagious from 7 days before the start of parotitis, up to 5 days after the start of parotitis.
Treatment
- There is no specific treatment for mumps.
- Taking acetaminophen (Tylenol®) may reduce the fever and pain.
- Hot or cold packs may also ease the pain.
- Close household contacts of the individual with mumps will need to be immunized if they are over 12 months of age and have not received an MMR vaccine.
Complications
- Swelling of the testicles (orchitis) is a common complication in males that are past puberty (teenagers/adults).
- Can cause meningitis (an infection of the fluid and lining that cover the brain and spinal cord).
- About 1 in every 19 people with Mumps gets meningitis.
Prevention
- Check your child’s immunization record to see if he/she has had the Mumps vaccine at the recommended ages. See the fact sheet
MMR Vaccine.
- Teach your child to cover his/her mouth when coughing or sneezing, and not to share food, drinks, or eating utensils with others.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after coughing, sneezing, wiping a nose, eating or preparing food.
A child sick with Mumps may return to school 5 days after the onset of the swollen glands (parotitis).
Mumps is a reportable disease and must be reported to the Local Medical Officer of Health under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
