Mumps Description Mumps is a contagious viral infection that causes pain and swelling in the glands that produce saliva for the mouth, especially the parotid glands in the cheek. Mumps is caused by a a paramyxovirus , a relative of the measles virus, that spreads in the nasal fluids, saliva and urine of infected persons.
Mumps is less contagious than measles or chickenpox .
Before a mumps vaccine was developed, most cases of mumps occurred in children younger than 15 years old. Now, mumps tends to cause epidemics on college campuses, usually among young adults who have not received the mumps vaccine, rather than as a result of waning immunity. One infection with the mumps virus usually provides lifelong immunity. Although the mumps virus initially affects the salivary glands, the virus can easily enter the blood stream and spread to other body organs. This may cause many different types of complications.