- Mumps is a viral infection which is spread by respiratory droplets and by contact with items contaminated by saliva of the infected person.
- Symptoms of mumps include facial pain + headache + swelling of parotid glands + fever + sore throat. the infection is usually self-limiting but in some cases it affect the testes causing testicular pain + scrotal swelling.
- This disease is common among children aged 2 – 12 years who haven’t been vaccinated against mumps. The vaccination of mumps is part of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella). This vaccine is taken at two doses, the first one at age 12 to 18 months and the second dose at 4 -6 years of age.
mumps-enlarged-parotid-glands
mumps
- A diagnosis of mumps is made when a fourfold increase between the acute titer and the convalescent titer occurs (a period of 10 to 14 days). note that a demonstration of specific IgG on a serum sample is evidence of immunity to mumps.
Normal Values:
- Negative for IgM and IgG: Susceptible ti mumps
- Positive for IgM: means a current or recent infection
- Positive for IgG: means immunity to mumps
- Sources:
Manual of Laboratory and Diagnosis Tests – Denise D. Wilson
