Mumps
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- Mumps Overview
- Mumps Causes
- Mumps Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Next Steps
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Related mumps articles:
Mumps - on WebMD
Mumps - on MedicineNet
Mumps Overview
Mumps is a disease, usually of children, caused by a virus. With mumps, your salivary glands swell. Specifically, these are the parotid glands, and they are located below and in front of each ear.
The virus is spread by direct contact with an infected person's sneeze or cough. Humans are the only known natural hosts. The disease is more severe if you get it as an adult.
With nearly universal immunization in childhood, there are fewer than 1,000 cases of mumps per year. Most of the reported cases are in children aged 5-14 years. The infection is more common during late winter and spring.
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Mumps
Immunization Schedule, Children »
Why Vaccinations Are Important
Vaccinations are some of the most important tools available for preventing disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccinations not only protect children from developing a potentially serious disease but also protect the community by reducing the spread of infectious disease.
Diseases spread from person to person. If enough people are immunized, the disease may not be transmitted through a population, thus protecting everyone. Diseases such as smallpox and polio have nearly disappeared because of immunization.
Most children get all their shots during childhood. A community awareness campaign called Every Child by Two urges parents to make sure their children are protected against some of the diseases of childhood before the child reaches 2 years of age.
Parents should consult their doctors about which vaccines their children should have and when. Keep track of your children's immunizat...
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Mumps »
Mumps is a single-stranded RNA virus and a member of the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Paramyxovirus.
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