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.