News Excerpt:
Mumps cases in children are on rise in the states of Maharashtra and Telangana.
About:
- Mumps is a viral infection that causes swelling of the parotid glands (salivary glands that sit just in front of the ears).
- It is a contagious disease that spreads easily through coughing and sneezing, leading to person-to-person spread.
- Mumps infection is more common in winter and spring season.
- Symptoms:
- The symptoms of the condition may seem harmless but can mask hidden factors like fever, fatigue, swollen glands, muscle aches, and headaches.
- These symptoms can lead to complications like meningitis, deafness, and foetal damage in pregnant women.
- After 2-3 days, swollen glands under the ears or jaw appear, which may be accompanied by ear pain.
- The swelling gradually decreases over 7 days, and symptoms resolve in 3-5 days.
Why this resurgence?
- The decline in vaccine coverage is due to complacency and misinformation, with close-knit communities like schools and sports teams becoming transmission hotspots.
- Mumps vaccination was removed from the Universal Program for Immunization due to lack of data.
- The recent mumps outbreak highlights a silent vulnerability within the population, with low seropositivity (showing a positive result of a blood test for a particular antibody), declining antibody levels, and susceptibility among vaccinated individuals.
Prevention:
- The best way to prevent mumps is vaccination, with three doses given to every child at 9 months, 15 months, and 4 to 6 years of age.
- School-aged children and adolescents who missed the vaccination can receive two doses 4 weeks apart.
- Patients should be isolated for at least 7 days after swelling onset and receive adequate rest, good nutrition, and symptomatic treatment.
- Isolation, face mask use, and timely vaccination can prevent the spread of the disease.
- Experts advise caution and to follow social distancing and hygiene measures to prevent further spread.
Conclusion:
- Identifying the source of the virus can be difficult due to viral shedding or spread from asymptomatic individuals. This is a wake-up call, echoing gaps in collective immunity.
- To combat misinformation, prioritize Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination at 9 months, 15 months, and 4-5 years in both public and private sectors, and build trust in vaccines.