Mumps
What can be done to prevent the infection?
The mumps vaccine or a previous mumps infection protects against infection. The
vaccine can be given alone or combined with the measles and rubella vaccines,
known as the
MMR vaccine.
What are the long-term effects of the infection?
Very rarely, sterility or death occur. These outcomes are more likely to happen
in adults with mumps. Other long-term complications of the mumps include:
arthritis
kidney problems
inflammation of the thyroid or pancreas
hearing loss
meningitis (men-in-jie-tis), or inflammation of the brain and
spinal cord membranes
What are the risks to others?
A person who has mumps can pass the infection on through respiratory
secretions, such as nasal discharge or infected droplets spread through coughs
or sneezes or saliva.
|