Facts About Mumps For Adults

What is mumps?
Mumps is an acute viral disease that is spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing. People who have mumps may spread the infection to others, even when they do not have any symptoms or their illness is mild.

Prevention
There is a vaccine to protect against mumps. The vaccine is frequently given to adults as part of a combination vaccine, called the MMR vaccine, that protects against measles, mumps and rubella. There is also a vaccine that protects only against mumps.

Symptoms
The symptoms of mumps include a low-grade fever and swelling or tenderness of one or more of the salivary glands in the cheeks and under the jaw.

Symptoms usually appear between 12 and 25 days after a person has been exposed to the virus. However, about one-third of infected people do not have symptoms.

Who should get MMR vaccine?

* Adults born in 1957 or later who do not have a medical contraindication should receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine, unless they have documentation of vaccination with at least one dose of measles-, rubella-, and mumps-containing vaccine or other acceptable evidence of immunity to these three diseases.
* College and university students, healthcare personnel non-pregnant women of childbearing age, child care workers such as teachers and day care personnel, and international travelers are at increased risk for measles, and these persons should receive two doses of MMR vaccine to ensure adequate protection

Vaccine Safety
The mumps vaccine and the combined MMR vaccine are safe and highly effective in preventing mumps. You cannot get mumps from either vaccine. Occasionally, adults who get the mumps vaccine will develop a low-grade fever or swelling of the salivary glands in the cheeks and neck. As with any medicine, there are very small risks that serious problems could occur after getting a vaccine. However, the potential risks associated with mumps disease are much greater than the potential risks associated with the mumps vaccine.

FACT: Mumps can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine.

FACT: You cannot get mumps from the mumps vaccine.

FACT: Mumps is contagious from 3 days before to 4 days after the onset of symptoms.

FACT: Approximately one-fifth of infected people do not have symptoms of mumps.

FACT: Serious complications of mumps are more common among adults than among children.

FACT: Women may be at risk for spontaneous abortions if they get mumps during the first trimester of pregnancy.

FACT: About 2 out of every 4 adolescent or adult men who have mumps may experience painful swelling of the testicles. Sterility rarely occurs.

FACT: Rare complications caused by mumps include an infection of the brain (encephalitis) and inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Other rare complications include arthritis, kidney and pancreas problems, deafness, and inflammation of the thyroid gland and ovaries.

FACT: The incidence of mumps in adults has dropped dramatically due to the use of a second dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.