Parotitis
Mumps is an acute, contagious, systemic viral disease that typically causes painful swelling of the salivary glands, most commonly the parotid glands.
The microorganism that causes parotitis, a paramyxovirus, spreads through droplets or saliva, entering the body through the nose or mouth. The virus remains in saliva for up to 7 days before inflammation of the salivary gland appears, and peak transmissibility occurs just before the onset of parotitis.
The virus is also found in the blood and urine, and if the central nervous system is involved, it can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid. For this reason, the condition can be diagnosed through saliva or urine culture.
It can occur at any age, though it is most common in young adults.
Symptoms
Pain and Swelling
The virus particularly targets the salivary glands, especially the parotid gland. Initially, pain and tenderness appear in the area corresponding to the parotid gland, located between the earlobe and the jaw, generally due to inflammation in the area. A characteristic of the disease is that the earlobe often becomes raised.
The affected area is tender to the touch and when exposed to acids such as lemon juice or vinegar.
Course of the Disease
Once infection has occurred, the swelling of the gland reaches its maximum size within 2–3 days. One side usually swells first, and swelling typically appears on the other side within 2 days.
In addition to pain and tenderness in the area, common symptoms include a fever below 40 degrees, along with fatigue and general malaise.
Complications
This is a self-limiting illness; however, it is important to monitor for potential complications, even though they are rare. These complications include: meningoencephalitis, orchitis (which can lead to reduced fertility in men), oophoritis, nephritis, myocarditis, and arthritis.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for the disease, as it is self-limiting, as mentioned above; however, symptoms should be managed with antipyretics and anti-inflammatory medications.
There is a vaccine administered during childhood that prevents the onset of the disease in up to 96% of vaccinated patients, provided they have not already had the disease prior to vaccination. In Spain, the vaccination schedule includes two doses—at 15 months and a booster at age 6 (Note that these details may vary depending on updates to the childhood vaccination schedule).
