Mumps - Symptoms, Causes, Images, and Treatment Options

Diseases

Highlights & Basics

Key Highlights

Mumps classically causes swelling and inflammation of one or both of the parotid glands (parotitis).
More serious complications, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and orchitis, can occur in the absence of parotitis, potentially delaying accurate diagnosis.
Diagnosis can usually be made based on the characteristic clinical features of parotitis and prodrome. Laboratory diagnosis is based on serological or salivary confirmation, detection of viral nucleic acid, or isolation of the virus from body fluids.
Treatment is symptomatic, and the disease is largely preventable through routine vaccination.
The mumps vaccine, part of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, is widely used in developed countries. Despite this, sporadic outbreaks have occurred in highly vaccinated populations, leading to suggestions that the vaccine's efficacy may not be as high as originally thought, and that vaccination policy should be reviewed to possibly include 3 doses.

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Definition

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Citations

Key Articles

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Yellow Book 2024: health information for international travel. Section 5: travel-associated infections & diseases - mumps. May 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A, Marchione P, et al. Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Nov 22;11:CD004407.[Abstract][Full Text]
McLean HQ, Fiebelkorn AP, Temte JL, et al. Prevention of measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, and mumps, 2013: summary recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2013 Jun 14;62(RR-04):1-34.[Abstract][Full Text]
UK Health Security Agency. Mumps: the green book, chapter 23. Apr 2013 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended child and adolescent immunization schedule for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2024. Nov 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Marin M, Marlow M, Moore KL, et al. Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for use of a third dose of mumps virus-containing vaccine in persons at increased risk for mumps during an outbreak. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Jan 12;67(1):33-8. [Abstract][Full Text]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended adult immunization schedule for ages 19 years or older, United States, 2024. Nov 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]

Other Online Resources

CDC: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System
CDC: MMR (measles, mumps, & rubella) vaccine: what you need to know
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. A look at each vaccine: measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine

Referenced Articles

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12. Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A, Marchione P, et al. Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Nov 22;11:CD004407.[Abstract][Full Text]
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15. UK Health Security Agency. Mumps: the green book, chapter 23. Apr 2013 [internet publication].[Full Text]
16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended vaccines for adults. Sep 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
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19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended child and adolescent immunization schedule for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2024. Nov 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
20. Krow-Lucal E, Marin M, Shepersky L, et al. Measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (PRIORIX): recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022 Nov 18;71(46):1465-70.[Abstract][Full Text]
21. Marin M, Marlow M, Moore KL, et al. Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for use of a third dose of mumps virus-containing vaccine in persons at increased risk for mumps during an outbreak. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Jan 12;67(1):33-8. [Abstract][Full Text]
22. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended adult immunization schedule for ages 19 years or older, United States, 2024. Nov 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
23. Hambidge SJ, Newcomer SR, Narwaney KJ, et al. Timely versus delayed early childhood vaccination and seizures. Pediatrics. 2014 Jun;133(6):e1492-9.[Abstract][Full Text]
24. Jokinen S, Osterlund P, Julkunen I, et al. Cellular immunity to mumps virus in young adults 21 years after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. J Infect Dis. 2007 Sep 15;196(6):861-7.[Abstract][Full Text]
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27. Hviid A, Hansen JV, Frisch M, et al. Measles, mumps, rubella vaccination and autism: a nationwide cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2019 Apr 16;170(8):513-20.[Abstract][Full Text]
28. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strategies for the control and investigation of mumps outbreaks. Sep 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
29. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Manual for the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases: chapter 9: mumps. Sep 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
30. Gupta RK, Best J, MacMahon E. Mumps and the UK epidemic 2005. BMJ. 2005 May 14;330(7500):1132-5.[Full Text]
31. Krause CH, Molyneaux PJ, Ho-Yen DO, et al. Comparison of mumps-IgM ELISAs in acute infection. J Clin Virol. 2007 Feb;38 (2):153-6.[Abstract]
32. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Laboratory testing for mumps infection. Mar 2021 [internet publication].[Full Text]
33. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of serology to aid in the diagnosis of mumps infection. Nov 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
34. Perry KR, Brown DW, Parry JV, et al. Detection of measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies in saliva using antibody capture radioimmunoassay. J Med Virol. 1993 Jul;40(3):235-40.[Abstract]
35. Poggio GP, Rodriguez C, Cisterna D, et al. Nested PCR for rapid detection of mumps virus in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neurological diseases. J Clin Microbiol. 2000 Jan;38(1):274-8.[Abstract][Full Text]
36. Overman JR. Viremia in humans mumps infections. AMA Arch Intern Med. 1958 Sep;102(3):354-6.[Abstract]
37. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mumps epidemic: Iowa, 2006. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006 Apr 7;55(13):366-8.[Abstract][Full Text]
38. Whelan J, van Binnendijk R, Greenland K, et al. Ongoing mumps outbreak in a student population with high vaccination coverage, Netherlands, 2010. Euro Surveill. 2010 Apr 29;15(17):19554.[Abstract]
39. Manson AL. Mumps orchitis. Urology. 1990 Oct;36(4):355-8.[Abstract]
40. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases: Mumps. Aug 2021 [internet publication].[Full Text]
41. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mumps- for healthcare providers. Mar 2021 [internet publication].[Full Text]
42. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National notifiable diseases surveillance system (NNDSS): mumps 2024 case definition. Feb 2024 [internet publication].[Full Text]
43. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated recommendations for isolation of persons with mumps. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008 Oct 10;57(40):1103-5.[Abstract][Full Text]
44. UK Health Security Agency. Health protection in schools and other childcare facilities. Oct 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
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