County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Acute Communicable Disease Control
313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 212
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 240-7941
Fax: (213) 482-4856
E-Mail:acdc2@ph.lacounty.gov
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Acute Communicable Disease Control
Mumps
Mumps is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by an RNA paramyxovirus that is transmitted by direct
contact with respiratory droplets from infected persons. Symptoms begin 14–18 days after exposure,
with a range of 12–25 days, and include swelling of salivary glands, fever, and inflammation of the
testes in teenage and adult males. Up to 20% of infected individuals may be asymptomatic. Sequelae
include encephalitis, meningitis, orchitis, arthritis, and deafness. In addition, pregnant women who
contract mumps are at increased risk of spontaneous abortions. Most reported cases are diagnosed
based on clinical symptoms and do not have supporting laboratory confirmation (i.e., mumps IgM
antibody assay). The minimum clinical criteria for mumps is an acute onset of unilateral or
bilateral swelling of the parotid or other salivary gland lasting >2 days without other apparent
cause. Although single probable or confirmed cases are reportable, only outbreaks of two or more
cases are investigated.
Mumps is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by an RNA paramyxovirus that is transmitted by direct
contact with respiratory droplets from infected persons. Symptoms begin 14–18 days after exposure,
with a range of 12–25 days, and include swelling of salivary glands, fever, and inflammation of the
testes in teenage and adult males. Up to 20% of infected individuals may be asymptomatic. Sequelae
include encephalitis, meningitis, orchitis, arthritis, and deafness. In addition, pregnant women who
contract mumps are at increased risk of spontaneous abortions. Most reported cases are diagnosed
based on clinical symptoms and do not have supporting laboratory confirmation (i.e., mumps IgM
antibody assay). The minimum clinical criteria for mumps is an acute onset of unilateral or
bilateral swelling of the parotid or other salivary gland lasting >2 days without other apparent
cause. Although single probable or confirmed cases are reportable, only outbreaks of two or more
cases are investigated.
