It is highly infectious, and can be spread by coughs and sneezes, and is most infectious before the trademark rash appears. The first symptoms include runny nose, sore eyes, a cough and fever. There may also be diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain. While this may be the full extent of the illness in many, resolving itself within two weeks of the first symptoms, other complications may arise. These include a severe cough and breathing difficulties, ear infections, pneumonia and eye infections.
Mumps is caused by the mumps virus.
Mumps is spread from person to person through direct contact with saliva, secretions from the respiratory tract, and urine of an infected person. Mumps does not usually cause serious long term problems, the acute symptoms, such as severe swelling of the salivary glands under the jaw bone, can be very uncomfortable. Adults are more likely to have serious complications if they become infected than children. About one in five adult males who are infected suffer from testicular inflammation, which in rare cases can lead to sterility. The infection can also be linked to meningitis Exposure to the virus in the first weeks of pregnancy may increase the rate of spontaneous abortion.