Mumps is an extremely infectious disease of the salivary glands. These glands are situated on any side of the face, under the ears. Mumps is caused because of virus known as mumps virus. This disease is generally spreads by means of saliva and can infect various parts of the body, mainly the parotid salivary glands. Parotid salivary glands produces saliva for the mouth and are established near to the backside of each cheek, in the part between the jaw and ear. In case of mumps, these glands get enlarge and become painful.
The disease has been known from many centuries. Mumps is spread from infected person to other healthy person by direct contact with saliva and discharges from the throat and nose. Mumps can also be spread by sneezing, coughing and even while talking. Symptoms of mumps typically begin 18 to 20 days after infection with the virus, but the duration can also range from 10 to 25 days. People who have not been vaccinated against mumps are in the major risk. Severe problems are infrequent. But, sometime mumps can result swelling of the brain (encephalitis), hearing loss, and swelling of the casing of the brain and spinal cord.
There is no exact cure for mumps. Persons suffering from mumps should drink lot of fluids, take bed rest, and take medication to control fever. Warm wet towels can help in relieving the pain of mumps. Kids suffering from mumps should be kept in home at least for 10 days after the swelling starts, or until the swelling ends. Mumps is avoidable by proper immunization. All kids should be immunized to defend themselves and others from mumps. The mumps vaccine is component of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine sequence given to children up to 12 months of age from birth.
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