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Mumps: a resurgent disease with protean manifestations

Sanjaya N Senanayake1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT, Australia. sanjaya.senanayake@act.gov.au

The Medical Journal of Australia
|October 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Mumps is re-emerging in developed countries, mainly affecting adolescents and adults. Diagnosis involves antibody and PCR testing, with supportive care as primary treatment, though new therapies show promise.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Mumps re-emergence in developed nations, shifting epidemiology to adolescents and adults.
  • Parotitis is absent in 10%-30% of symptomatic mumps cases, complicating clinical suspicion.
  • Mumps presents as a systemic infection with potential for extra-parotid complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline current diagnostic approaches for mumps in Australia.
  • To review treatment strategies for mumps, including supportive care and emerging therapies.
  • To discuss the role and safety of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in mumps prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Diagnostic confirmation via antibody testing and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  • Collection of specimens including serum, saliva, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid.
  • Review of existing literature on mumps treatment and vaccination protocols.

Main Results:

  • Mumps diagnosis relies on serological and molecular assays.
  • Supportive care is standard; intravenous immunoglobulin and interferon alpha-2b show potential for specific complications.
  • The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is effective and safe, with rare serious reactions.

Conclusions:

  • Mumps requires vigilant diagnosis beyond parotitis, utilizing serological and molecular methods.
  • While supportive care is primary, targeted therapies may improve outcomes for severe mumps manifestations.
  • MMR vaccination remains crucial for controlling mumps outbreaks, with a favorable safety profile.

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