WORLDWIDE CONTACT US ABOUT US INVENTING FOR LIFE PRODUCTS RESEARCH LICENSING NEWSROOM CAREERS INVESTORS Home UNDERSTANDING MUMPS WHAT IS MUMPS? Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands. HOW COMMON IS MUMPS? According to the World Health Organization, in 2016 there were a total of 583,199 reported cases of mumps worldwide. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases in the United States, from 229 cases in 2012 to 5,629 cases in 2017. 583199 cases worldwide LEARN THE FACTS Mumps causes puffy cheeks and swollen jaws, which is a result of swollen salivary glands. Some people who get mumps have very mild symptoms or no signs at all, and often they are unaware they have the disease. Most people with mumps recover completely in a few weeks. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: Fever Headache Generalized muscle aches Tiredness Loss of appetite Swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides (parotitis) Symptoms typically appear 16-18 days after infection, but this period can range from 12-25 days after infection. MUMPS CAN BE SERIOUS In most people, mumps is mild. But it can cause serious, long-lasting problems including Encephalitis (swelling of the brain), Aseptic Meningitis (swelling of the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord), Deafness (temporary and permanent), Orchitis (swelling of the testicles) in males who have reached puberty, Oophoritis (swelling of the ovaries) and/or mastitis (swelling of the breasts) in females who have reached puberty. TRANSMISSION OF MUMPS It spreads through saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat. An infected person can spread the virus by: Coughing, sneezing, or talking, Sharing items, such as cups or eating utensils, with others, and Touching objects or surfaces with unwashed hands that are then touched by others. Mumps likely spreads before the salivary glands begin to swell and up to five days after the swelling begins. Published April 2018 Copyright. © 2009-2018 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Forward-Looking Statement Privacy Terms of Use Site Map