Mumps

General Information

Mumps is a disease caused by the mumps virus. Before the vaccine was used in the United States, mumps was a common illness in infants, children and young adults. Mumps is spread by mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of a person with the disease, usually when a person coughs or sneezes. The most common symptoms usually start with fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite followed by swelling of glands.

Children can be vaccinated for mumps and should be given the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine or Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella (MMRV). Please see the vaccine information statement (VIS) below.

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