Mumps

Introduction

The mumps virus is spread in saliva and in tiny airborne droplets from the coughs and sneezes of infected people. Mumps is a notifiable disease, which means that a doctor who sees a patient whom they suspect has mumps is required by law to report it.

Why are there so many reported cases at the moment?

According to the Health Protection Agency, very few people currently aged between 14 and 22, born 1982-1990, would have received the full course of two doses of MMR vaccine, against measles, mumps and rubella. This is because the second dose of MMR was only introduced into the UK national immunisation schedule in 1996.

Symptoms

Symptoms begin with a headache and fever for a day or two before development of swelling of the parotid salivary glands, on one side or both sides. These glands are located just below and in front of the ears. They produce saliva, which drains into the mouth and helps to break up and digest food.

The incubation period is 14-21 days and mumps is transmissible from several days before the swelling to around five days after it appears. Contagiousness is similar to that of influenza and rubella but not as infectious as chickenpox or measles. If you have been in contact with someone who has developed mumps, you may be infectious from 12 to 25 days after exposure.

Complications of mumps include swelling of the ovaries (oophoritis), swelling of the testes (orchitis), meningitis and deafness.

What to do

If you, or a friend has any of these symptoms, you should seek medical help. Either call your GP, or call the New Cross Medical Centre 020 3049 2249 (open 8.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Late closing Tuesday at 8pm). If the Centre is closed, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647. In an emergency, dial 999 for an ambulance.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for mumps. Treatment should be based on alleviating symptoms. If you have mumps, you should drink plenty of cool fluids, especially water, and take mild painkillers to help to reduce pain and mild fever. It may be soothing to hold a warm flannel against the swollen glands.

Vaccination

We recommend that, if you are under 28 years old you should check with your GP as to whether or not you have had two doses of MMR vaccine. If you have not had two doses of the vaccine, then we suggest that you contact your GP to make arrangements to have the vaccination. This needs to be done within the next one to two weeks. This may not protect you from getting mumps but it is the recommended course of action

Further information

The NHS Direct website has useful information at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk