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The following article discusses the disease of infectious mumps, providing information on recent outbreaks, etiology, symptoms, contagious period, treatments, and diagnostics. It describes the skills needed by the medical assistant to work effectively with patients who are infected with mumps, and discusses how to educate patients about risks, complications, and prevention. Included in the websites provided for research are the proper storage, shelf life, and disposal of the mumps vaccine, as well as associated materials.
Learning objectives:
- Define mumps
- List the symptoms of mumps
- Cite the contagious timeline for mumps
- Discuss other conditions that can mimic mumps symptoms
- Recite ways to prevent the transmission of mumps
- Discuss mumps prevention vaccines and disease prevention
- List the complications of mumps
- Identify important patient education issues surrounding mumps
- Discuss proper handling, storage, and disposal of mumps vaccine, including contaminated supplies
Spotlight on Mumps and What It Means to Medical Assistants
By Barbara Dahl, CMA, CPC
From the summer camp outbreak last year in New York (31 cases) to the more recent outbreak in Iowa (515 cases) and six neighboring states— Illinois (4), Kansas (33), Minnesota (1), Missouri (4), Nebraska (43), and Wisconsin (4)—the incidence of mumps outbreaks is making headlines.
What is mumps? Mumps is a viral infection that targets the salivary glands, usually the parotid glands of the throat. It causes swelling, which is why it is sometimes called parotitis.
Before noticing the swelling and tenderness of the parotid glands, the patient may experience headaches, loss of appetite, loss of energy, and muscle aches. When taking vital signs, you will probably find that the patient is running a low-grade fever.
These symptoms usually show up 12–25 days after exposure. The fever can remain for 3–4 days, and the parotitis can last for 7–10 days. Like many viral infections, the patient is contagious even before symptoms appear. The contagious period lasts from 3 days before symptoms begin to 9 days after symptoms begin. Laboratory tests in a clinic can confirm the diagnosis.
Mumps is passed from person to person by coughing and by contact with saliva and respiratory secretions from the infected person. The contact may be either direct or through fomites.
Following are some questions and answers for patient education.
I have had two MMR vaccinations. Can I still get mumps? The answer is yes, you can still get mumps, and so can your patients. According to the CDC, one dose of the mumps vaccine gives us 70–80% protection, two doses give us 80–90% protection, but no vaccine is 100% effective. Pregnant women should not be vaccinated.
I have had mumps already. Can I get it again? The answer to this question is not clear. We classify history of mumps infection as either “probable” or “confirmed.” Most people who have had a confirmed case will not get mumps again. Unless a person has had a confirmed case of mumps, the vaccination is recommended. It was once thought that everyone born before 1957 was immune to mumps, but we now know that being born before 1957 is not a guarantee against a mumps infection, so these persons should be vaccinated at least once.
Can the parotitis be caused by pathogens other than the mumps virus? Yes, there are many other viruses, bacteria, and disease conditions such as diabetes, cirrhosis, and malnutrition that can cause very similar symptoms.
What are the dangers of getting a mumps infection? Children have less risk of serious complications from mumps than adults. Death from mumps is very rare (1–4 persons per 10,000 cases). Complications are rare, but mumps can lead to permanent loss of hearing and meningitis. Male patients may experience painful and swollen testicles (though rarely does this lead to infertility), while women may experience painful and swollen breasts and inflammation of the ovaries. Pregnant women often miscarry when infected during the first three months (first trimester) of pregnancy. Fortunately, even though a baby can be exposed to the virus while in utero, the risk of birth defects or congenital malformations has not been confirmed.
As medical assistants, we need to wash our hands frequently and educate our patients about disease control and prevention. We should be vaccinated, encourage other healthcare workers and our patients to be vaccinated, and strive to support community, state, and nationwide vaccination programs.
For more information, go to the CDC website at www.cdc.gov. Information can also be found on the American Academy of Pediatricians website at www.aap.org.
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