Mumps

The MMR vaccine offers protection against mumps

Mumps is one of the common childhood diseases and is caused by the paramyxovirus.

Most people will make an easy recovery but, rarely, it can lead to severe complications.

All children in the UK are offered a vaccine against mumps as part of the three-in-one jab called MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), which means it is now less common.

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What is it?

Mumps is a viral infection of the saliva-producing parotid glands, which are found either side of the face over the jaw bone.

It is spread in saliva by coughs and sneezes.

Symptoms develop 14 to 24 days after exposure.

What are the symptoms?

The illness begins with fever, shivers, tiredness and painful swelling of the parotid glands.

This gives the person a "puffy-cheeked" appearance, similar to that of a hamster, and can help make the diagnosis.

The swollen glands feel painful and make it difficult to open the mouth, talk, eat and drink.

There may also be headache, earache and abdominal pain.

However, nearly a third of children will have no symptoms.

Most people make an easy recovery with bed rest, but some can go on to develop unpleasant and serious complications.

What are the possible complications?

Meningitis can develop. Mumps was the commonest cause of viral meningitis in children prior to 1988, when the MMR vaccine was introduced.

Less commonly, inflammation of the pancreas can also occur.

Females can also get inflammation of the ovaries, called oophoritis, and males, inflammation of the testicles, called orchitis.

Occasionally mumps orchitis may lead to infertility.

Mumps can also cause permanent deafness.

What is the treatment?

There is no specific treatment for mumps.

Treatment should be based on alleviating symptoms.

How can you protect yourself against mumps?

The MMR vaccine protects against mumps, as well as measles and rubella.

It is given in the national immunisation programme at 12-15 months and at 4 years of age, which began in 1988.

Many cases are now being seen in young adults (aged 19-23) who were born before MMR became routine.

In 2004, the number of cases of mumps recorded in England and Wales hit 16,436, up from 4,204 in 2003, according to the Health Protection Agency.

The Department of Health has alerted GPs to the risk posed by mumps to young adults, and recommends that every effort should be made to ensure that people are fully immunised, even if they are older than the recommended age range.

There is no upper age limit and where required, two doses can be given separated by a three monthly interval.