Define Mumps. Describe its clinical features, complications, management and prevention.

Definition

Mumps is an acute viral infection caused by the mumps virus (a paramyxovirus), spread by respiratory droplets, characteristically causing parotid gland inflammation (parotitis).

Clinical Features

• Fever, malaise and headache, followed by painful swelling of the parotid gland(s) (uni- then often bilateral).
• Ear pain, pain on chewing, and obliteration of the angle of the jaw; the opening of Stensen's duct may be red.
• Usually self-limiting over about a week.

Complications

• Orchitis (in post-pubertal males — pain/swelling, small risk to fertility), oophoritis.
• Meningoencephalitis, pancreatitis, and sensorineural hearing loss.

Management & Prevention

• Supportive — analgesia, antipyretics, adequate fluids and soft diet.
• Prevention — the MMR vaccine (two doses).

Diagnosis & Epidemiology

• Largely clinical (parotitis + contact history); serology (IgM) or PCR if confirmation is needed.
• Spread by droplets; infectious from before to after the swelling; incubation ~16–18 days.

Differential Diagnosis of Parotid Swelling

• Suppurative (bacterial) parotitis, recurrent parotitis, lymphadenitis, and a parotid duct stone.
• Bilateral, non-suppurative swelling with systemic viral features favours mumps.

Complications — Note on Orchitis

Mumps orchitis occurs mainly in post-pubertal males, is usually unilateral, and, although it can rarely impair fertility, does so uncommonly; supportive care (analgesia, scrotal support) is used.

Prevention Note

Mumps is prevented by the MMR vaccine (given with measles and rubella); high two-dose coverage has made mumps and its complications (orchitis, meningoencephalitis, deafness) uncommon.

Earlobe is lifted upward and outward by the swelling.