Mumps

The most common symptom of mumps is painful swelling in your salivary glands. This is usually your parotid salivary glands just under and in front of your ears. You could also get swelling under your jaw. It can be be in 1 or both sides of your face. The swelling usually develops over 2 or 3 days, before reaching a peak and easing off. It tends to last around 8 days. The glands are sensitive to touch but not usually red and hot.

Other symptoms include:

• high temperature
• pain when chewing and swallowing
• tiredness
• loss of appetite
• mild stomach (tummy) pain
• dry mouth
• headache.

Men and adolescent boys can experience pain and swelling in their testicles (orchitis). Some people, mainly young children and older adults, may not have any symptoms even though they have mumps. The time from being exposed to the virus and getting sick is 12 to 25 days.

Anyone can get mumps, but you are at greater risk of getting mumps if you come into contact with an infectious person and have never had mumps or been vaccinated against it.

High-risk groups include: 

• children under 15 months of age
• people born after 1981 who haven't had mumps or haven't been fully vaccinated for their age
• visitors from, or travel to, countries which don't vaccinate against mumps e.g. India, Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Japan and Vietnam.

People at higher risk of serious illness from mumps include:

• children too young to be vaccinated
• pregnant people who aren't immune
• people with a chronic (long-term) condition
• people with a weakened immune system:
  • transplant patients
  • people with illnesses such as leukaemia or HIV
  • cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy
  • people taking high-dose steroid or immune suppressive medication.

If you think your child has mumps, or you have it yourself:

• Phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 or your family doctor as soon as possible for advice.
• If you are in need of urgent medical care and need to attend a healthcare facility, ring first to let them you know you (or your child) has mumps and wear a mask when you visit. Avoid attending a healthcare centre for minor ailments.
• People with mumps need to stay away from public places for 5 days after developing any swelling. Avoid places such as:
  • workplaces
  • early childhood centres and schools
  • sports and cultural events
  • anywhere you know there are people who aren't vaccinated against mumps, or are at serious risk, eg, because of poor immunity.
• Protect others by:
  • covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw the tissue in a bin
  • washing and drying your hands thoroughly
  • avoiding sharing food or drinks and kissing 
  • cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
• If you haven't had both MMR vaccines, book in to have this after you get better.

You are a close contact if you have had face-to-face contact within 1 metre of an infected person. This usually means you have been in in the same house, early childhood centre, school, tertiary education institution or workplace with someone who has confirmed mumps between 2 days before and 5 days after they got salivary gland swelling.

Who is immune?

You are immune if you:

• have had 2 MMR vaccinations with the last dose given at least 4 weeks before you were exposed to the virus
• were born before 1 January 1982
• have a medical record that shows you have had mumps previously. 

For close contacts who are NOT immune

If you are NOT immune, for 12 days after the first day of contact until 25 days after the last day of contact with the person infectious with mumps you will need to:

• stay away healthcare facilities – unless you need urgent care, in which case phone ahead. 
• stay away from immunocompromised people.
• monitor yourself for symptoms.
• wear a mask when you're outside your home.

You should also get an MMR vaccination to protect against future exposure, but it won't make a difference to whether you get mumps this time.

If you get any symptoms, or if you are not sure what to do, phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 or your medical centre as soon as possible for advice.

If you are pregnant and think you have come into close contact with someone with mumps, call your GP or lead maternity carer as soon as possible. Pregnant women who have received 2 doses of the MMR vaccine before pregnancy are almost certainly protected. Pregnant women should not have the MMR vaccination. 

In most cases, a healthcare provider will diagnose mumps based on the symptoms and examination, particularly the swollen salivary glands and fever (high temperature). Your healthcare provider may also ask you about any recent travel overseas. The risk of mumps is higher in some countries that do not have the mumps vaccine as part of their immunisation schedule. They will take a  swab from the inside of your cheek to send to the lab to confirm the diagnosis. Rarely, a blood test may be needed. 

If your symptoms are severe, or there are complications, you may need to go to hospital where you could have a blood or urine test, or a cerebrospinal fluid test (lumbar puncture or spinal tap). 

There is no specific medical treatment or cure for mumps. Antibiotics don't work because the illness is viral. Treatment aims to ease your symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.

Mumps is a notifiable disease.  This means your healthcare provider must notify the Medical Officer of Health who can work to prevent it spreading.

Mumps can be cared for at home with:

• Plenty of rest.
•  A warm flannel, wheat bag or cold pack against your swollen glands to ease tenderness.
• Lots of cool fluids, especially water.
• Avoiding acidic drinks, such as fruit juices, as they can stimulate your salivary glands and cause you more discomfort.
• Eating soft foods that don’t require much chewing, such as porridge or soup.

If you have orchitis (swollen testes/balls and scrotum):

• support your testes with firm but not tight underwear
• lie in bed
• use ice packs and plenty of pain relief.

Medicines

• Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be given to help reduce your fever and ease any pain.
• Make sure you measure children's doses accurately and follow the directions given on the bottle or product packaging.
• Men with severe inflammation in your testes may be prescribed a stronger pain reliever. 

In most cases, mumps does not cause serious damage to your health. In rare cases, it can cause serious complications, such as:

• hearing loss – in most cases this is temporary and will pass, but, in some cases, it can be permanent
• swollen testes or scrotum (orchitis) – this affects 1 in 5 adult males with mumps and in rare cases cause infertility (inability to have children)
• swollen ovaries (Oophoritis) which causes a more severe tummy pain, and swollen breasts in girls and women
• inflammation of your brain (called encephalitis)
• inflammation of the lining of your brain and spinal cord (called meningitis).

Vaccination is the best way to prevent mumps. No mumps-only vaccine is available in New Zealand. Vaccination with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best way to protect against mumps and prevent its spread. In Aotearoa New Zealand, this vaccine is part of the free childhood immunisation schedule and 2 doses are required. See the immunisation schedule(external link) for more information. 

It may also be free for those who have not previously been vaccinated or whose immunisation history is unknown. Most people who receive 2 doses of MMR attain long-term protection against mumps. Having only one dose of the MMR vaccine does not give adequate protection against mumps.  

• Once 2 doses of MMR are given, the vaccine provides 85% protection against mumps.
• Check with your GP or practice nurse to see if your child has received both vaccinations. If they haven’t, get them vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccination is free.
• If you or your child were born outside New Zealand or you're not sure whether you or your child has had 2 doses of MMR, it’s safer to get vaccinated.  There’s no additional risk to having a third dose. 
• A small number of people who have been vaccinated will still catch mumps, but they are less likely to be seriously ill.

Read more about the MMR vaccine.