Mumps infections show vaccine-preventable diseases are on the rise again in the US
Maryland is one of several states reporting cases of the infectious disease mumps, suggesting a return of diseases like measles — which vaccines protect against.
Illustration of human mumps virus, a member of the Paramyxoviridae family.
Ruslanas Baranauskas/Science Photo Library/Getty Images
The mumps are back. have had a viral respiratory infection Found in at least 34 people In 11 US states, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And at least one state, Maryland, has issued an alert about the disease that has caused the disease. At least 26 cases registered In the state till 19th February CNN reported.
Mumps, which causes painful mouth inflammation, can be prevented with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. But vaccination rates among children have declined as anti-vaccination sentiment has grown in the wake of the COVID pandemic, which led to a massive outbreak of measles last year.
Mumps infects the salivary glands below the ears. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and saliva by coughing, sneezing, talking or sharing eating utensils. It may take two to four weeks for people to see it symptoms After they get infected. In addition to jaw swelling, mumps can cause other viral symptoms, such as fever, headache, and muscle aches. While children either have mild illness or no symptoms, mumps is more severe in teenagers and adults. There is no specific treatment for mumps, but rest, hydration, and pain relievers like ibuprofen can help people recover.
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the most painful complications Mumps is orchitis, or inflammation of the testicles, which can harm fertility. The disease can also cause oophoritis or mastitis, which means inflammation of the ovaries or breasts, respectively. In rare cases, mumps can also cause meningitis – inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord – or encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain. Additionally, the disease can cause permanent hearing loss. Unvaccinated individuals are more likely to become infected with mumps and are also more likely to have complications from the virus.
Since the first mumps vaccine was introduced in 1967, cases of the disease have decreased by 99 percent in the US, but it still causes outbreaks, especially in places where people are in close contact, such as schools, universities and prisons.
To protect against mumps, children are advised to receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at 12 to 15 months of age and the second at four to six years of age. Two doses are 86 percent effective in preventing mumps; One dose is 72 percent effective. Vaccinated people can still get infected, especially when immunity from vaccines wanes over time, but if they do, they usually have mild infections.
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