Mumps

Alternative names:

epidemic parotitis

Definition:

An acute, contagious viral disease that causes painful enlargement of the salivary or parotid glands

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The mumps are caused by the paramyxovirus, which is spread from person to person by saliva droplets or direct contact with articles that have been contaminated with infected saliva. The parotid glands (the salivary glands between the ear and the jaw) are usually involved. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 are most commonly infected, but the infection can occur in other age groups. In older people, other organs may become involved including the testes, the central nervous system, the pancreas, the prostate, the breasts, and other organs. The incubation period is usually 12 to 24 days. Only 4,000 cases were reported in the U.S. in 1991.