Dr. Mersch received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, and prior to entering the University Of Southern California School Of Medicine, was a graduate student (attaining PhD candidate status) in Experimental Pathology at USC. He attended internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Mary D. Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Michigan State University. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt Medical School, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Indiana University.
Medical historians believe that documentation of a clinical illness
consistent with mumps dates back to Greco-Roman times. The first effective
vaccine against mumps was introduced in 1948 and used from 1950-1978.
Unfortunately, this vaccine strain had limited long-term immune memory
effectiveness. The current strain used in the United States and worldwide
provides over 80% long-term immunity. The current childhood mumps immunization
schedule recommends vaccination at 1 and 4 years of age. The mumps vaccine is
commonly administered as part of a combination vaccine (MMR) also providing
protection against measles and rubella (German measles).
What causes mumps? How is mumps transmitted?
Mumps virus is a single strand of RNA housed inside a two-layered envelope
that provides the virus its characteristic immune signature. Only one type of
mumps virus has been demonstrated to exist (in contrast to multiple virus types
which may cause the common cold).
Mumps is highly contagious and has a rapid spread among members living in
close quarters. The virus most commonly is spread directly from one person to
another via respiratory droplets. Less frequently, the respiratory droplets may
land on fomites (sheets, pillows, clothing) and then be transmitted via hand-to-mouth contact after touching such items. The incubation period from exposure to
the virus and onset of symptoms is approximately 14-18 days. Viral shedding
is short lived and a patient should be isolated from other susceptible
individuals for the first five days following the onset of swelling of the salivary
(parotid) glands.
What are the signs and symptoms of mumps in children and adults?
Nonspecific symptoms of low-grade fever, headache, muscle aches (myalgia),
reduced appetite, and malaise occur during the first 48 hours of mumps infection.
Parotid gland swelling characteristically is present on day three of illness. (The
parotid gland is a salivary gland located anterior to the ear and above the
angle of the jaw -- imagine a large set of sideburns.) The parotid gland is swollen
and tender to touch, and referred pain to the ear may also occur. Parotid gland
swelling may last up to 10 days, and adults generally experience worse symptoms
than children. Approximately 95% of individuals who develop symptoms of mumps will experience
tender inflammation of their parotid glands.
Interestingly about 15%-20% of mumps cases have no clinical evidence of
infection, and 50% of patients will have only nonspecific respiratory symptoms
and not the characteristic description above. Adults are more likely to
experience such a subclinical or respiratory-only constellation of symptoms
while children between 2-9 years of age are more likely to experience the
classic presentation of mumps with parotid gland swelling.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Low testosterone can affect both men and women. Causes of low testosterone in males include undescended testicles and injury to the scrotum. Low testosterone in females includes ovary conditions. Treatment for low testosterone in men includes testosterone replacement therapy. Currently there is no FDA approved testosterone treatment for women.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
A miscarriage is any pregnancy that ends spontaneously before the fetus can survive. Miscarriage usually occurs before the 13th week of pregnancy. The cause of a miscarriage cannot always be determined. The most common causes of a miscarriage in the first trimester are collagen vascular disease (lupus), hormonal problems, diabetes, chromosomal abnormalities, and congenital abnormalities of the uterus.
Thrombocytopenia refers to a decreased number of platelets in the blood. There are many causes of thrombocytopenia such as decreased platelet production (viral infections for example rubella, mumps, chickenpox, hepatitis C, and HIV); increased platelet destruction or consumption (for example sulfonamide antibiotics, heparin, blood transfusions, and lupus); or increased splenic sequestration (enlarged spleen due to conditions for example liver disease, blood cancers, and more). Treatment of thrombocytopenia depends on the cause.
Testicular pain, or pain in the testicle or testicles are caused by a variety of diseases or conditions such as testicular trauma, testicular torsion, testicular cancer, epididymitis, and orchitis. Common symptoms of pain in the testicle or testicles are abdominal pain, urinary pain or incontinence, fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the scrotum or testicle. Treatment depends on the cause of the testicular pain or pain in the testicles.
Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious disease that's caused by a virus. Symptoms include a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. Treatment focuses on symptom relief. The disease can be prevented with the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that causes sudden fever, vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck and back, drowsiness, and irritability. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck.
Septic arthritis, or infectious arthritis, is infection of one or more joints by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Symptoms and signs of septic arthritis include fever, joint pain, chills, swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness. Treatment involves antibiotics and the drainage of the infected joint.
German measles is a disease that's caused by a virus. Symptoms include rash and fever for two to three days. The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine prevents this disease.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
Hearing loss (deafness) may be present at birth or it may manifest later in life. Deafness may be genetic or due to damage from noise. Treatment of deafness depends upon its cause.
Kids get headaches and migraines too. Many adults with headaches started having them as kids, in fact, 20% of adult headache sufferers say their headaches started before age 10, and 50% report their headaches started before age 20.
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