Mumps - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology

Summary

Mumps is a highly contagious viral infection primarily affecting children, caused by the mumps virus. It spreads through respiratory droplets and typically causes swelling of the parotid salivary glands, often with an earache. The virus can also lead to complications like meningitis, encephalitis, orchitis, and pancreatitis. While symptoms are usually self-limited, the mumps vaccine is the best prevention, offering 90% effectiveness. Diagnosis is based on antibody testing, and there is no specific antiviral treatment. Vaccination has significantly reduced mumps outbreaks, especially in vaccinated communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mumps is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the mumps virus, part of the paramyxoviridae family.
• 😀 The mumps virus is spread through respiratory droplets and primarily affects children.
• 😀 Mumps is only transmissible among humans and can be contracted by being near an infected person.
• 😀 The virus contains single-stranded RNA and a phospholipid envelope with two key proteins: HN and F proteins.
• 😀 The HN protein helps the virus attach to host cells, while the F protein facilitates viral entry into the cells.
• 😀 Mumps initially infects the epithelial cells of the nasopharynx and can spread through the bloodstream to other tissues.
• 😀 The most common symptom of mumps is the swelling of the parotid salivary glands, often accompanied by earache.
• 😀 Mumps can also cause serious complications such as meningitis, encephalitis, orchitis, and epididymitis.
• 😀 In men, mumps can lead to testicular atrophy, reduced sperm count, and motility, though infertility is rare.
• 😀 The mumps vaccine, a live attenuated vaccine, is about 90% effective in preventing the disease and has drastically reduced its occurrence.
• 😀 Pregnant women with mumps do not have an increased risk of congenital defects in their babies.

Q & A

What is the primary cause of mumps?

Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, a member of the paramyxoviridae family, which also includes the measles and parainfluenza viruses.

How is mumps transmitted?

Mumps is transmitted through respiratory droplets that are small enough to travel short distances through the air, making it highly contagious.

What is the structure of the mumps virus?

The mumps virus has a single strand of RNA, a viral polymerase enzyme, and is surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer envelope with proteins such as hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and fusion (F) proteins.

What role do the HN and F proteins play in the mumps virus?

The HN protein allows the virus to attach to host cells, while the F protein helps the virus fuse with the host cell membrane, facilitating entry into the cell.

What is the primary site of infection for mumps in the body?

Mumps initially infects the epithelial cells of the nasopharynx, where it replicates and causes local tissue damage before spreading through the bloodstream.

What are the classic symptoms of mumps?

The most classic symptom of mumps is the swelling of the parotid salivary glands, which may cause earaches and result in the earlobe being lifted outward.

What serious complications can mumps cause?

Mumps can lead to complications such as meningitis, encephalitis, orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), epididymitis, glomerulonephritis, and arthritis, among others.

How does mumps affect the central nervous system?

Mumps can cause meningitis (infection of the brain lining) and encephalitis (infection of the brain tissue), leading to symptoms like headache, neck stiffness, and more severe effects such as balance issues and hearing loss.

How is mumps diagnosed and treated?

Mumps is diagnosed through antibody tests, but there are no effective antivirals for treatment. Supportive care is used to manage symptoms.

What is the mumps vaccine, and how effective is it?

The mumps vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine, meaning it uses a weakened form of the virus to stimulate an immune response. It is about 90% effective in preventing mumps.