Mumps

Mumps is infection of the parotid gland by the mumps virus causing swelling behind the angle of the jaw and in front of the ear. Usually both glands are affected but it may be one-sided. There is fever, eating is painful and there may be involvement of other glands - particularly the testicles or the ovaries in the post pubertal adolescent - or (rarely) infection of the central nervous system producing encephalitis. If inflammation is severe a course of steroids and may help. The virus is spread by droplet infection (inhaling the coughed saliva of an infected person) and the symptoms appear between 14 and 21 days after infection. There is an effective vaccine available which has dramatically reduced the incidence of the disease.
 
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