Mumps
Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a family of viruses known as paramyxoviruses. These viruses are a common source of infection, particularly in children.
When you get mumps, the virus moves from your respiratory tract (your nose, mouth and throat) into your parotid glands (saliva-producing glands found either side of your face), where it begins to reproduce. This causes the glands to swell.
The virus can also enter your cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is the fluid that surrounds and protects your brain and spine. Once the virus has entered the CSF, it can spread to other parts of your body, such as your brain, pancreas, testicles (in boys and men) and ovaries (in girls and women).
Mumps is an airborne virus and can be spread by:
People with mumps are usually most infectiousfrom a few days before their parotid glands swell until a few days afterwards. For this reason, it's advisable to avoid work or school for five days after your symptomsfirst developif you're diagnosed with mumps.
Mumpscan also be passed on by people who are infected withthe virusbut don't have any obvious symptoms.
Mumps is a contagious viral infection that used to be common in children before the introduction of the MMR vaccine.
The symptoms of mumps usually develop 14 to 25 days after a person is infected with the mumps virus (the incubation period).
Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a family of viruses known as paramyxoviruses.
Treatment for mumps is focused on relieving symptoms until your bodys immune system fights off the infection. The infection usually passes within a week or two.
There are several problems that often occur with mumps. These can be worrying, but they are rarely serious and usually improve as the infection passes.