What is mumps?
Mumps is a viral illness that can cause fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue, swelling of the salivary glands or pain with chewing or swallowing. About a third of people who contract the mumps virus do not develop any symptoms.
How does the mumps virus spread?
Mumps is most commonly spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and a non-infected person inhales respiratory droplets that contain the virus.
How soon after infection do symptoms occur?
Symptoms usually occur 14 to 18 days after infection. The time between infection and illness can be as short as 12 days or as long as 25 days.
When can mumps be spread?
People with mumps are usually contagious from two days before to five days after they develop symptoms. A person is most contagious just before symptoms appear.
How can a person with mumps avoid spreading it to others?
Stay at home for five days after symptoms (salivary gland swelling) begin (required by Ohio law OAC 3701-3-13, (P)); avoid school, work, social gatherings and other public settings; cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; and wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Is there a vaccine to prevent mumps?
Yes, the mumps vaccine is given on or after a childs first birthday. In the U.S. it is usually combined with measles and rubella vaccines, together known as MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). A second dose of mumps vaccine is recommended before children enter school or when they are 4 to 6 years old. People who receive two doses of mumps vaccine are much less likely to develop mumps than those who have one dose or none.
Can people who have been vaccinated still get mumps?
Yes, for every 100 people vaccinated, 80 to 90 of them will be fully protected, but 10 to 20 are at risk for the disease. Though mumps vaccination cannot protect everyone, the vaccine greatly lowers the number of people who get sick when exposed to the virus. If a community maintains a high vaccination rate, the risk of exposure declines too. While vaccination cannot protect everyone from developing mumps, people who get mumps following vaccination are at lower risk.
Have mumps outbreaks occurred in vaccinated people before?
Yes. In 2006 there was an outbreak of mumps in the midwestern U.S. The outbreak was mainly among college students who had already been vaccinated. There was an outbreak of mumps in 2009-2010, mostly among school-age children who had been vaccinated in New York City. Also, as recently as February of this year, Fordham University in New York experienced an outbreak among its student community.
What problems can mumps cause?
The vast majority of mumps cases do not lead to serious complications, but the mumps virus can cause inflammation of the central nervous system. The resulting illness (viral meningitis) is usually not serious. Headache and stiff neck may occur in up to 15 people of people with mumps. Males who are past puberty may experience orchitis, or testicular inflammation. It causes pain, swelling, nausea, vomiting and fever. The affected area may remain tender for weeks. Approximately half of patients with orchitis experience some atrophy of the testicles, but they rarely lose the ability to produce sperm. Some women may experience inflammation of the ovaries or breasts from mumps. Deafness in one or both ears occurs in approximately one person out of 20,000 who develops mumps.
Where can I get more information about mumps and mumps vaccine?
Call the Holmes County Health Department at 330-674-5035.
