Mumps (parotis epidemica)

-Automatic translation

Mumps is an acute and highly contagious viral infection that affects children more often than adults. The infection is usually safe and resolves quickly but is known to cause serious complications, especially in adolescents and adults. Most people only get mumps once in their lives.

• Infection Prevention

Epidemiology

In 2005/2006 and 2015, an epidemic of mumps occurred in Iceland, mainly individuals in their twenties who had not been infected with mumps as children or had received adequate vaccination against the disease. The prevalence of the disease has decreased in Iceland since vaccination against it began in 1989. It is preferably those born before that time who have not had the disease who are prone to contracting it, and then unvaccinated individuals.

Infection routes and incubation periods

Mumps are transmitted through saliva and respiratory droplets and contact with them, but the droplets are large enough to spread close to the infected person (<1 meter). A person who develops mumps is contagious from two days before and for five days after symptoms appear.

To break the transmission routes, it is recommended that a person with mumps avoid being around others from the time the disease is diagnosed until five days have elapsed from the onset of the inflammation by staying home from work or school, preferably alone in a room if others in the household are susceptible to mumps. Suppose those caring for the sick person are susceptible to the mumps (have not had mumps or are not vaccinated). In that case, they should wear a protective mask to their senses if they are nearby (less than 1 meter), wear gloves if saliva or mucus needs to be touched from the airways, and wash their hands after contact with contaminated surfaces during the infectious period. Routinely clean the main environmental contact surfaces of the infected person with soap and water and wipe them with a surface-active disinfectant (e.g. 70 % environmental alcohol) during illness.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptoms of the disease are usually mild in children but affect adolescents and adults more heavily. The main symptoms are fever, weakness, inflammation and sore salivary glands, headache, difficulty chewing, and loss of appetite. Teenagers and adults have more complications than children. Serious complications may include encephalitis, hearing loss, and inflammation of the breast, pancreas, ovaries, or testicles. Inflammation of the last counted organs can cause infertility.

Diagnosis

Suspicion of the disease is obtained by physical examination, but confirmation is obtained by blood antibody testing or culture of the virus in saliva.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for the mumps virus. Individuals with mumps are advised to drink well, stay at rest, and use painkillers. Children should be kept at home until symptoms of the disease have resolved. In more severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalised.

Prevention

Vaccination against mumps began in Iceland in 1989 as part of childhood vaccinations. Today, children are vaccinated with MMR (mumps, measles, and rubella vaccine together in one shot) at 18 months and 12 years of age as part of a general childhood vaccination program, providing good protection against the disease.

Post-exposure vaccination is not beneficial in preventing mumps illness. Therefore, vaccination of people with known exposure is not recommended until at least three weeks after last contact with an infectious person. However, it is appropriate that unvaccinated or under-vaccinated household members, schoolmates, and colleagues of the exposed receive vaccination as soon as possible to reduce the risk of further spread. Vaccination is not recommended for those who have had mumps unless they lack measles vaccination.

Who should receive MMR vaccination for mumps in the local area without direct exposure:

Who should not get MMR vaccination:

Diseases subject to registration

Diseases subject to registration are those that can spread widely in society and, at the same time, threaten public health. Doctors must notify The Chief Epidemiologist of persons sickened by mumps with the personal identification number of the infected person. Still, reports to the Chief Epidemiologist are also received from laboratories that confirm the diagnosis. The purpose of reporting an infectious disease is to prevent the spread of infection through targeted measures, e.g., isolation, treatment of the infected, and tracking of transmission between individuals. Information about the probable transmission place, transmission time, and symptoms must accompany notifications to satisfy these conditions. In this way, infected persons can be linked epidemiologically, the effects of the infection can be assessed, and a response can be taken.