Mumps is a viral infection that primarily affects the parotid glands — one of three pairs of salivary glands, located below and in front of your ears. If you or your child contracts mumps, it can cause swelling in one or both parotid glands. Complications of mumps are potentially serious, but rare — and your odds of contracting mumps aren't very high. Mumps was common until the mumps vaccine was licensed in the 1960s. Since then, the number of cases has dropped dramatically.

Who can get mumps?

Anyone who is not immune from either previous mumps infection or from vaccination can get mumps. Before the routine vaccination program was introduced in the United States, mumps was a common illness in infants, children and young adults. Because most people have now been vaccinated, mumps is now a rare disease in the United States. Of those people who do get mumps, up to half have very mild, or no symptoms, and therefore do not know they were infected with mumps.

Is there a vaccine to prevent mumps?

Yes. This is generally given as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR is usually given on or after a child's first birthday. A second vaccination is recommended, again in combination with measles and rubella vaccine, at 4-6 years of age. Persons of any age who are unsure of their mumps disease history and/or mumps vaccination history should be vaccinated, especially if they are likely to be exposed.

The single most effective control measure is maintaining the highest possible level of immunization in the community. Persons diagnosed with mumps should remain at home during their infectious period (until after nine days after onset of symptoms).Other things people can do to prevent mumps and other infections are to wash their hands well and often with soap or an alcohol-based hand gel, and to teach children to wash their hands too. Eating utensils should not be shared and surfaces that are frequently touched should also be regularly cleaned with soap and water, or with cleaning wipes.

One time suffering usually provides life-long resistance (immunity). Rarely does it recur. Following the National Immunisation Schedule with MMR vaccine it is a very effective way to prevent epidemic mumps (needs to be given before 1 ½ years of age to claim good vaccination effect). This vaccine prevents mumps as well as measles and rubella. As mumps spreads through droplets of saliva (with coughing, sneezing, from drinking glasses, etc.), avoiding these contacts / infectants and isolation of sufferer can help in prevention and arresting the spread. The affected child should not be allowed to play with other children for a week.

Early symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, often followed by onset of parotitis (swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears, on one or both sides). Painful, swollen testicles can develop in males who have reached puberty and painful, swollen breasts can develop in women. Aseptic meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord) can occur. Some people who get mumps have very mild, or no symptoms.

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