Atypical Mumps; are We Heading Towards an Outbreak?

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Mumps, a viral illness, typically affects children and young adults, causing salivary gland swelling and systemic symptoms.
• Complications include sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), orchitis, oophoritis, and aseptic meningitis.
• Recent observations indicate atypical mumps presentations, raising concerns about a potential outbreak in India.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the etiopathogenesis and clinical presentation of atypical mumps cases.
• To evaluate patients with acute salivary gland swellings across multiple centers in India.
• To assess the impact of vaccination status and identify risk factors for complications.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, multicentric study involving 53 patients across five major Indian centers.
• Data collection included demographics, symptoms, vaccination history, imaging, and treatment outcomes.
• Patients were followed for four weeks to monitor for delayed complications.

Main Results:

• Observed a bimodal age distribution with peaks in early adolescents and middle-aged individuals.
• Fever and salivary gland swelling were predominant; elevated serum amylase and CRP correlated with severity.
• Significant concerns emerged regarding sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and airway complications.

Conclusions:

• The study indicates a shift in mumps demographics towards older age groups and increased complications like SNHL.
• India faces a potential mumps outbreak with atypical features, necessitating early recognition and management of complications.
• Mumps immunization is crucial to mitigate disease impact, and ENT specialists must monitor for emerging complications.