Definition of disease
Mumps, Abu Dagim, also known as Abu Ka’ab, is a disease caused by the mumps virus, which is transmitted through saliva, nasal secretions, and direct contact between others, to be transmitted to the tissue through some fluids when using the tools Joint, or spray issued while talking among others.
Mumps affects primarily the parotid gland or parotid glands, the largest salivary glands on the sides of the face, behind and under the ears, the glands responsible for producing saliva. The parotid glands secrete the saliva in the oral cavity to facilitate chewing and swallowing, but when mumps occurs, the salivary glands will appear swollen, and the patient may feel pain.
Symptoms
Mumps cases may start with fever to 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius), along with headaches, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, joint and muscle pain, and some respiratory symptoms. However, the characteristic feature of mumps is swelling and pain in the parotid glands, The pain seems to worsen when swallowing, chewing, talking, and drinking acidic juices (such as orange juice).
Both the right and left parotid glands may be affected. Swelling begins in one side a few days before the other. In rare cases, mumps may attack other groups of the salivary glands rather than the parotid. If this occurs, the swelling under the tongue, under the jaw, and along the way To the front of the chest.
Symptoms usually appear after 16-18 days of infection, but this period can range from 12-25 days after infection, swelling of the parotid glands usually lasts for 4-8 days. Mumps is usually a mild disease, but complications can occur sometimes. This is the important reason that scientists are trying to develop vaccines against the disease. There may be no symptoms, or the symptoms may be very simple. It is believed that nearly 3 out of 10 people who develop mumps virus may not show symptoms completely, and rarely complications may occur alone without the usual symptoms. The immune system makes antibodies during infection, eliminating viruses and thus providing lifelong immunity, so it is very rare for a person to have mumps more than once.
disease treatment
As with other viral diseases, the disease does not respond to any of the antibiotics, so the patient to follow some of the following therapeutic steps:
- Rest when feeling weak or tired.
- Take some painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
- Soothe swollen glands by placing some ice packs on them.
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration caused by fever.
- Eat soft meals based on soups and yogurt, as well as some foods that are easy to chew.
- Avoid acidic foods and drinks that may cause more pain in the salivary glands, such as: orange juice, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice.
- Gargle with warm water and salt.
Complications of the disease
Mumps complications are rare, but they can be serious if left untreated. This may cause inflammation in other parts of the body, including the brain and genitals. It may lead to male testicular inflammation and ovarian swelling in females. The most important of these complications are:
- It can lead to inflammation and swelling in the brain and other organs, although it is not common. Encephalitis and meningitis are both rare complication of parotid glands. Symptoms appear in the first week after the onset of parotid glands That include on both high fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, convulsions, and other signs of encephalitis.
- In adolescents and adults may also lead to testicular inflammation, usually affects one testicle and become swollen and painful approximately 7-10 days after the parotid gland enlargement, accompanied by high fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, After 3-7 days, testicular pain and swelling usually decrease at about the same time as fever disappears, and in some very rare cases both testes may be affected, and infertility may occur.
- Pancreatic infections, signs and symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen, nausea and vomiting.
- Females who have reached puberty may have ovarian or breast inflammation, and rarely affect fertility.
- Hearing loss can sometimes occur in people with parotid glands, usually only transient, and hearing ability usually improves over time. It is very rare for mumps to cause permanent deafness in one or two ears.
- If a pregnant woman is pregnant in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, it may increase the risk of miscarriage, however, the mumps virus does not think it may cause abnormalities or defects in the fetus.
Prevention of disease
Vaccination can prevent parotiditis. Most infants and children receive measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at the same time, in childhood in most children and infants in two doses, one of which is between 12 and 15 months of age, School age is between 4 and 6 years of age, with the indication that one person usually gets one-time mumps as a result of infection, and the infection lasts for a week to ten days no more.