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Mumps


Cause: Mumps virus, a paramyxovirus.

Illness and treatment:  Mumps causes inflammation of glandular tissue, most commonly salivary glands (parotitis). Up to 20% of infections have no symptoms and up to half have mild or only respiratory symptoms. Complications include inflammation of testes (orchitis) or ovaries (oophoritis), aseptic meningitis (rarely causing deafness), pancreatitis, and myocarditis. The last death from mumps in the United States was in 2002. Treatment is supportive.

Sources:  Humans, including persons with asymptomatic infection, are the reservoir. Transmission is mainly through direct contact with infected droplet nuclei or saliva.

Additional risks: The average age of reported mumps cases has increased, with 40% of cases age 15 years and older. During 2006, a large outbreak of mumps occurred in 9 Midwestern states with the majority of cases seen in college-aged persons and adults in their 20s.

Prevention:  Universal immunization prevents infection. Two doses of mumps-containing vaccine are now recommended for school aged-children, college students, and health care workers born in or after 1957. Respiratory and hand hygiene can prevent transmission.

Recent Washington trends: Zero to 11 reports were received a year until the increased awareness of mumps subsequent to the 2006 outbreak. 42 and 53 cases were reported in 2006 and 2007, respectively. A change in the national reporting criteria was made after 2007.

2008: 14 cases were reported. The age range for reported cases was 15 months to 64 years, with a median of 31 years. Ten cases (71.4%) were reported as ever having received any mumps vaccine, and of these, 7 (70%) were reported as “up to date” for mumps vaccination.

Purpose of Reporting and Surveillance

  • To assess the burden of mumps in Washington.

  • To identify cases and prevent further spread from cases by recommending appropriate preventive measures, including exclusion.

  • To educate potentially exposed individuals about signs and symptoms of disease, thereby facilitating early diagnosis and reducing the risk of further transmission.

  • To identify and vaccinate susceptible individuals.

Legal Reporting Requirements

  • Health care providers: notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 3 work days.

  • Hospitals: notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 3 work days.

  • Laboratories: no requirements for reporting.

  • Local health jurisdictions: notifiable to the Washington State Department of Health Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section within 7 days of case investigation completion or summary information required within 21 days.

Last update
November 2009

Mumps Resources

General Information

Mumps
Incidence Rates

(PDF format)

Reporting Forms

Mumps
Reporting Form

(PDF Format)

Public Health and Health Care

Surveillance and Reporting Guidelines
(PDF format)

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Communicable Disease Epidemiology
Office of Epidemiology
Washington State Department of Health
MS: K17-9, 1610 NE 150th St.
Shoreline, WA 98155-9701

Consultation and technical assistance are available to local health jurisdictions in Washington State:
Phone (206) 418-5500

FAX (206) 418-5515

24-hour contact (inside Washington State only)  1-877-539-4344

Washington residents can contact their local health jurisdictions for assistance


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