Mumps Infection

What is Mumps Infection?

Mumps is a contagious viral infection that primarily affects the salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva and sit just below and in front of your ears. When infected with mumps, these glands swell and become painful. This swelling gives the characteristic puffy cheek appearance.

The mumps virus spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can also get mumps by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching your face. The infection was once very common in children but became rare in the United States after the MMR vaccine was introduced. Most cases today occur in people who were never vaccinated or who lost immunity over time.

Mumps is usually a mild illness that resolves on its own within a few weeks. However, it can occasionally lead to serious complications like meningitis, deafness, or inflammation of reproductive organs. The good news is that once you have had mumps, you typically develop lifelong immunity. Your body creates antibodies that protect you from future infections.

Mumps Virus Antibody (IgG)

Verify immunity against mumps effortlessly
Clarify unexplained symptoms with precision
Reveal hidden health risks quickly

^$59

Symptoms

Swollen, painful salivary glands on one or both sides of the face
Pain while chewing or swallowing
Fever, usually between 100°F and 103°F
Headache and muscle aches
Fatigue and weakness
Loss of appetite
Pain in the jaw area

Some people infected with mumps have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. About one third of mumps cases are asymptomatic, meaning the person never knows they were infected. These individuals can still spread the virus to others. Symptoms typically appear 16 to 18 days after exposure but can range from 12 to 25 days.

Causes and risk factors

Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to the paramyxovirus family. The virus spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets released when someone coughs, sneezes, or talks. You can also catch mumps by sharing drinks, utensils, or kissing someone who is infected. The virus can survive on surfaces for several hours, so touching contaminated objects and then touching your mouth or nose can lead to infection.

The biggest risk factor for mumps is being unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. People who live in close quarters, like college dormitories or military barracks, have higher exposure risk. International travelers visiting countries where mumps is more common also face increased risk. Waning immunity over time means that even vaccinated individuals can occasionally get mumps, though these cases are usually milder. People are most contagious from a few days before symptoms start until about five days after glands begin to swell.

How it's diagnosed

Doctors usually diagnose mumps based on the characteristic swollen salivary glands and recent exposure history. A physical exam showing painful, swollen glands below the ears is often enough to suspect mumps. Your doctor will ask about your vaccination history and whether you have been around anyone with the infection.

Blood tests can confirm mumps infection by detecting antibodies your body makes in response to the virus. The Mumps Virus Ab IgG test measures antibodies that indicate past infection or immunity from vaccination. A positive IgG result shows that you have been exposed to mumps before or have been vaccinated. Sometimes doctors also test for IgM antibodies, which appear during active infection. Talk to your doctor about which testing approach makes sense for your situation.

Treatment options

Get plenty of rest to help your body fight the infection
Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated, especially if you have trouble swallowing
Apply warm or cold compresses to swollen glands for comfort
Eat soft foods that are easy to chew and swallow
Take over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and pain
Isolate yourself from others for at least five days after symptoms start to prevent spread
Avoid acidic foods and drinks that stimulate saliva production and cause pain

There is no specific antiviral medication for mumps. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms while your immune system clears the infection. Most people recover completely within two weeks. See a doctor if you develop severe headache, stiff neck, severe abdominal pain, or testicular pain and swelling. These symptoms could indicate complications that need immediate medical attention. Prevention through the MMR vaccine remains the best strategy against mumps.

Frequently asked questions

Mumps spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. You can also get mumps by sharing drinks or utensils with someone who has the virus. Touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face can transmit the infection. People are most contagious a few days before symptoms appear and up to five days after glands swell.

Yes, but it is rare. The MMR vaccine is about 88% effective after two doses, meaning a small percentage of vaccinated people can still get mumps. Vaccine immunity can also wane over time, especially after 10 to 15 years. When vaccinated people do get mumps, their symptoms are usually much milder than in unvaccinated individuals.

Most people recover from mumps within two weeks. The swollen salivary glands typically peak around day three and then gradually improve. Fever usually lasts three to four days. You remain contagious for about five days after your glands start to swell, so isolation during this time helps prevent spreading the virus to others.

While most mumps cases are mild, complications can occur. Meningitis, or inflammation of the brain and spinal cord lining, happens in about 15% of cases. Orchitis, or testicular inflammation, affects up to 50% of unvaccinated males past puberty. Permanent hearing loss occurs in about 1 in 20,000 cases. Rarely, mumps can cause inflammation of the ovaries, pancreas, or brain.

See a doctor right away if you develop severe headache with stiff neck, severe abdominal pain, or testicular pain and swelling. High fever that does not respond to medication or worsening symptoms after a few days also warrant medical attention. These signs could indicate serious complications that need immediate evaluation and treatment.

Mumps testing usually involves a blood test to detect antibodies against the mumps virus. The IgG antibody test shows past infection or immunity from vaccination. The IgM antibody test can confirm active or recent infection. Sometimes doctors also take a swab from inside the cheek or throat to test for the virus directly.

Mumps can cause orchitis, or inflammation of the testicles, in males past puberty. This happens in up to 50% of unvaccinated males who get mumps. While orchitis is painful, permanent infertility is rare and usually only occurs if both testicles are severely affected. In females, mumps can cause ovarian inflammation but very rarely affects fertility.

The MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent mumps. Children should receive two doses, one at 12 to 15 months and another at 4 to 6 years old. Adults born after 1957 who never received the vaccine should get two doses four weeks apart. Avoid close contact with infected people and practice good hand hygiene to reduce your risk.

Mumps is much less common now than before the vaccine was introduced in 1967. The United States typically sees a few hundred to a few thousand cases per year. Outbreaks occasionally happen in close-contact settings like colleges, camps, or sports teams. Most cases occur in people who were never vaccinated or who have waning immunity from vaccination years earlier.

Getting mumps twice is very rare but possible. Natural infection usually provides lifelong immunity because your body develops strong antibodies against the virus. However, in rare cases, people can get mumps again if their immune response was not strong enough the first time. Reinfection cases tend to be milder than the initial infection.