This is a disease caused by a virus from the paramyxovirus family. The disease is also called "mumps" because of one of its characteristic symptoms: a noticeable increase in the salivary gland or parotid glands, below the ear.
Epiparotitis is transmitted by airborne droplets: that is, when talking, coughing, sneezing with particles of saliva. There is also a possibility of transmission through contact and household contact through contaminated hands, unwashed dishes or other contaminated objects.
How long after infection will the first symptoms appear?
The incubation period is most often 16-18 days, but can be from 12 to 25 days.
The most common first symptoms are non-specific symptoms of the common cold, such as:
Some people have mumps quite easily, the symptoms are mild, often the patient does not even know what he is sick with. However, this does not always happen. In adults, the disease is more severe than in children.
How dangerous is the disease? What complications are possible?
The disease can be very dangerous. Before the introduction of vaccination, mumps was one of the most common causes of deafness and meningitis (inflammation of the meninges).
Possible complications of parotitis include:
In Ukraine, there is a comprehensive KPK vaccine (Priorix or MM-RII»/MM-RII), which also protects against measles and rubella. Two doses of the vaccine are required to protect against these three infections. In Ukraine, vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella is included in the National Vaccination Calendar. According to him, children receive this vaccination with budgetary funds at 12 months and at 6 years. If the child for certain reasons missed one of the vaccinations or did not receive any, vaccinate him according to the calendar in case of violation of the vaccination schedule . If the child received the first dose of the PDA vaccine at an age older than 12 months, the second dose is administered according to the calendar - at 6 years of age (with a minimum interval of 1 month from the previous dose). If it so happened that vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella began after 6 years, two doses of the vaccine can be obtained with a minimum interval of 1 month.
Adults, in the absence of contraindications listed in the instructions for the use of the vaccine, are vaccinated without age restrictions, if they have not suffered from the specified infections and/or do not have confirmation of the administration of two doses of the vaccine indicated in the medical documentation, or have negative laboratory test results for the presence specific IgG antibodies. Currently, due to the limited number of vaccines for routine vaccinations of children, adults can only be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella at their own expense. The vaccine can be purchased in a pharmacy network, and the vaccination procedure can be carried out at the medical facility where you signed the declaration (or at the medical facility where you are currently being treated, if you are an IDP). You can also sign up for vaccination at a private medical facility. The minimum interval between two doses of the PDA vaccine is 1 month.
To ensure vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella, the vaccines Priorix (manufactured by Glaxosmithkline Biologicals SA, Belgium) and MM -RII (manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc., USA) are used in Ukraine ).
There is no specific treatment, only symptomatic treatment (bed rest and drinking, lowering body temperature).