Mumps

Mumps, once a common childhood disease, is a contagious viral illness. With the widespread vaccination, the incidence of mumps has decreased substantially. Mumps typically presents with a prodrome of headache, fever, fatigue, anorexia, and malaise, followed by the classic hallmark of the disease, parotitis. The disease is typically self-limited, with most patients experiencing a full recovery.

Mumps is caused by the rubulavirus, which belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family. Mumps affects individuals globally and is the only known cause of epidemic parotitis. The majority of mumps cases in temperate zones are observed during late winter and early spring.