Measles Mumps

Measles mumps

        Mumps is a highly contagious viral disease, but less frequent since the introduction of a voluntary vaccination in Western countries. It most often affects children but can affect people at any age or any person not vaccinated or who had not contracted the disease because the infection gives final immunity : you can have it only once in your life. Mumps is a viral disease, usually not serious. This disease is very contagious, it is prevalent in epidemics especially in early childhood. It is transmitted through droplets of saliva. The parotid glands are affected. The virus has a glandular tropism, that is to say it will stay preferably in certain glands especially the parotid: the salivary glands are located in front of the ear lobes, it can also reach the pancreas, the abdomen and testicles, it can also touch, rarely, the nervous system.

        Despite it's name, mumps have nothing to do with ears. These are the salivary glands under the jaw and inside the cheeks that are infected. Since the arrival of the vaccine against mumps in 1970, this disease is rare.

Measles transmission

       Mumps is caused by an organism called paramyxovirus. You can also get mumps through contact with contaminated objects or hands.

Measles incubation and measles contagious

       An infected person is contagious from the twelfth to twenty-fifth day after exposure. The most contagious period is one or two days after the onset of symptoms. It is possible to have no symptoms for 14 to 24 days.