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Mumps

Published by Bupa's health information team, March 2009.

This factsheet is for people who have mumps, or who would like information about it.

Mumps (also known as epidemic parotitis) is an infectious illness caused by a virus and can be caught at any age. It's now less common because of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination.

• About mumps
• Symptoms of mumps
• Complications of mumps
• Causes of mumps
• Diagnosis of mumps
• Treatment of mumps
• Prevention of mumps
• Further information
• Questions and answers
• Related topics
• Sources

About mumps

Mumps used to be very common. Before the MMR vaccination was introduced in 1988, nearly 90 percent of children aged under 10 in England caught mumps. Around 1,200 people in England and Wales used to be admitted to hospital every year because of complications caused by mumps.

Now that the MMR is a routine childhood vaccination, mumps has become less common. However, you can still get mumps at any age if you haven't been vaccinated.

Symptoms of mumps

Your or your child's symptoms will usually appear two to three weeks after exposure to the virus (this is the incubation period). About 30 percent of children with mumps don't get any symptoms.

At first, the symptoms of mumps are similar to those of flu, and can include:

• fever
• headache
• sore throat
• earache that's made worse by chewing
• pain on chewing and swallowing
• loss of appetite
• tiredness
• muscle aches
• abdominal (tummy) pain

A day or two later, you or your child may have swelling in one or both of the salivary (parotid) glands. These are situated on each side of your face, just below your ears.

The swelling of the glands can make it difficult for you to open your mouth and to eat, drink or speak. This usually lasts for up to 10 days.

These symptoms may be caused by problems other than mumps. You should visit your GP for advice.

Complications of mumps

A small percentage of people who are infected with mumps get more serious problems and a very small percentage may develop long-term problems. Severe complications are rare now that most children are immunised against MMR. But the complications listed below can happen a week after the start of mumps symptoms.

• About one in 10 people with mumps develop viral meningitis.
• About a quarter of men who catch mumps after puberty get swelling in the testes (orchitis) - rarely, this can affect fertility.
• About one in 20 women can develop swelling of the ovaries (oophoritis) - rarely, this can affect fertility.
• About four in 100 people have temporary hearing loss.
• About one in 20,000 people have permanent hearing loss in one ear. Permanent hearing loss in both ears is very rare.
• About four in 100 people have swelling of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
• Swelling of the brain (encephalitis) can also occur, but this is rare.

Your GP will explain more about the risks to you. Tell your GP if you or your child have any of the following symptoms:

• stiffness in your neck
• vomiting
• dislike of light
• in boys and men - soreness and tenderness of the testes

You should also see your GP if you have symptoms of mumps and are pregnant, or if you or your child still have mumps symptoms after about 10 days. If you're in the first three months of pregnancy and catch mumps, there is an increased risk of having a miscarriage.

Causes of mumps

Mumps is caused by a virus and is contagious (can be passed from person to person). You can catch the mumps virus from the saliva of an infected person, including from tiny droplets in the air if they sneeze. You can also catch mumps from contaminated objects such as toys or telephones.

You can get mumps at any time of year, but it's most common in the winter and spring.

If you have mumps you will usually be contagious for a total of 10 days - from several days before you get symptoms to around five days after symptoms appear. During this time you should try and stay away (or keep your child away) from other people.

Diagnosis of mumps

Your GP will ask you about your symptoms and examine you. He or she may also ask you about your medical history.

Your GP will look for signs of swelling in one or both of your salivary glands. These will usually swell a day or two after your other symptoms have appeared, and this is when the diagnosis of mumps is usually made.

Mumps is a notifiable disease. This means that if your GP suspects that you have mumps, by law he or she has to report it. This is so that there can be accurate statistics of how many people in the UK are getting mumps each year.

Treatment of mumps

There is no specific treatment for mumps. Taking the painkiller you would normally take for a headache will help to ease the symptoms of the mumps. If your child has mumps, give him or her junior paracetamol to help ease the symptoms. It's also important to drink plenty of fluids to stop you from becoming dehydrated.

Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine and if you have any questions, ask your pharmacist for advice.

Prevention of mumps

The most effective way to protect yourself or your child from catching mumps is immunisation with the MMR vaccine - a combined vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. This is given in two doses to children at around 13 months and when they are four. Teenagers and adults can also have the vaccine.

Further information

• Department of Health
  020 7210 4850
  www.dh.gov.uk

Related topics

• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine

Sources

• Simon C, Everitt, H, Kendrick T. Oxford Handbook of General Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007:492-493;1044
• Hviid A, Rubin S, Muhlemann K. Mumps. Lancet 2008; 371:932-944. www.thelancet.com
• Mumps: general information. Health Protection Agency. www.hpa.org.uk, accessed 17 June 2008
• Immunisation - childhood - background information - mumps. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. http://cks.library.nhs.uk, accessed 17 June 2008
• Immunisation against infectious disease. Chapter 23. Department of Health. 2006. www.dh.gov.uk, accessed 17 June 2008
• Measles, mumps and rubella: prevention. Clinical Evidence. 2006. http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com
• Birth to five: 2007 edition. Department of Health. 2007. www.dh.gov.uk, accessed 17 June 2008
• Warrell DA, Cox TM, Firth JD. Oxford Textbook of Medicine. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005:349-351

This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: March 2009