Mumps
Important note (November 2009): Although we have an uninterrupted supply of rubella and measles vaccines, currently
there are no further supplies of single mumps vaccines coming into the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future . More information about the mumps vaccine shortage and how it affects you...
Mumps is an infectious disease that causes swelling of the saliva-producing glands near the ears. The swelling often occurs on one side and can spread to both sides.
Incubation is usually 14 to 21 days after exposure to the virus and the infection can last 7-10 days, though the duration of the illness varies.
Common symptoms include painful swelling in front of and below the ears, often with pain when eating or moving the jaw. Sometimes this is accompanied by headaches, loss of appetite, fever and lethargy.
Both sexes can get not only the inflammation of the salivary glands, which give them the typical ‘mumps swollen face’ and can be extremely painful, but also pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas gland. Complications include hearing impairment, painful inflammation of the testicles in boys/young men, and painful inflammation of the ovaries in girls/young women.
Further information about mumps
Our medical team has reviewed literature including the Health Protection Agency’s Information Leaflet on Mumps. This describes the symptoms, states that there is no specific treatment for mumps, and states the following:
“Mumps is rarely fatal, but complications can include:
aseptic meningitis in up to 15% of cases
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swollen testicles in up to 20% of adult males – usually on one side. Recent research indicates that sterility is extremely rare;
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swelling of the ovaries in up to 5% of adult females – again sterility is extremely rare;
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profound deafness in one ear in 1 in 15,000 cases;
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encephalitis in between 1 in 400 and 1 in 6,000 cases. The risk of death for mumps encephalitis is 1.4%;
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mumps does not cause abnormalities in the unborn child, but in the first three months of pregnancy there may be an increased risk of having a miscarriage.”
This document further states: “Mumps is not highly infectious”.
It may be of importance to you to note that the MUMPSVAX datasheet, which is the document produced by Merck and distributed with the vaccines, states the following:
“- contraindications: hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine, including gelatine. Hypersensitivity to eggs: live mumps vaccine is produced in chick embryo cell culture (could react).
Immune system – anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions have been reported as well as related phenomena such as angioneurotic edema (including peripheral or facial edema) and bronchial spasm in individuals with or without an allergic history.
MUMPSVAX should not be given less than one month before or after administration of other live viral vaccines.”
More information about the mumps vaccine shortage and how it affects you...
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