Index >>Viral Disease of Human >> Mumps

Mumps
This is a disease of childrens salivary glands, especially the parotid glands  thus technical name, epidemic parotitis. Disease is generally transmitted by droplets, contact and fomites. The virus is present in urine, blood and cerebrospi­nal fluid. The disease may begin on one side of the mouth but both glands are affected in most cases.

There develop antibodies. In adults, mumps represents a threat to reproductive organs, and some males may develop orchitis, i.e. swelling of testicles to three or four times of normal size. Sperm count may be reduced. Though rare, in females, oophoritis (lower back pain and enlargement of ovaries) may develop. The mumps vaccine was developed in 1967 from live viruses of Jeryl Lynn strain grown in duck embryo tissues. The virus may multiply in other tissues, in beta cells of pancreas, causing pancreatitis or in brain tissues causing mumps encephalitis.