Paramyxoviruses
Question 1. Write a short note on mumps.
Answer:
Mumps is also known as epidemic parotitis. Mumps virus leads to mumps.
Pathogenesis
It is a disease of childhood and is acquired from direct contact with infected saliva. Respiratory tract act as a portal of entry. Its incubation period is from 16 to 18 days. Multiplication of the virus occurs in the upper respiratory tract and in local lymph nodes. The virus now enters the bloodstream and spread to the salivary gland, testes, ovaries, pancreas, kidney, and brain. Non-suppurative inflammation of the parotid gland is the most common feature. Viruses get shed in saliva from 6 days before to 1 week after the onset of clinical parotitis. Humans are the only natural hosts.
Mumps Clinical Features
- Mumps occurs in childhood and is characterized by non – supportive enlargement of parotid glands.
- The incubation period for mumps virus is 12 to 25 days.
- Mumps is characterized by a prodromal stage of fever, malaise, and anorexia followed by painful swelling of the parotid gland.
- Swelling resolves spontaneously in under a week.
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Mumps Laboratory Diagnosis
- Microscopy: Immunofluorescence can be used on the secretion of throat and saliva for demonstration of the virus.
- Culture: Isolate the virus in cell cultures from saliva, spinal fluid, or urine. Inoculate the specimen on primary monkey kidney cell culture and human amnion cell culture. Growth occurs in 1 or 2 weeks. Detection of growth is by hemadsorption and identification is by hemadsorption inhibition test.
- Serological tests:
- Hemagglutination test or compliment fiation test shows a four-fold increase in antibody titer.
- ELISA for detecting the mumps-specific IgM antibodies.
Mumps Complications
- Meningitis
- Meningoencephalitis
- Orchitis
- Oophoritis
- Pancreatitis
- Nephritis.
Mumps Treatment: No specific antiviral therapy is present. Lesion regresses spontaneously within a week.
Mumps Prevention: Live attenuated vaccine provides long-lasting immunity. Vac- cine is given subcutaneously during the age of 15 months mainly in combination with attenuated measles and rubella vaccine as MMR vaccine.
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