Mumps
Description General Measures Medicine Treatment Referral ICD-10 codes: B26.0-3/B26.8-9 DESCRIPTION Incubation period: 14–21 days. A viral infection primarily involving the salivary glands. Signs and symptoms: Fever. Pain on opening the mouth or eating. About two days later a tender swelling appears below the ears at the angle of the jaw, often first on one side and later on the
Description
General Measures
Medicine Treatment
Referral
ICD-10 codes: B26.0-3/B26.8-9
DESCRIPTION
- Incubation period: 14–21 days.
- A viral infection primarily involving the salivary glands.
- Signs and symptoms:
- Fever.
- Pain on opening the mouth or eating.
- About two days later a tender swelling appears below the ears at the angle of the jaw, often first on one side and later on the other. The swelling disappears in about 10 days.
GENERAL MEASURES
-
Bed rest during febrile period.
- Advise on oral hygiene.
- Recommend plenty of fluids and soft food during acute stage.
- Patient is infectious from 3 days before parotid swelling to 7 days after it started. Isolate until swelling subsides.
- Children may return to school 1 week after initial swelling
MEDICINE TREATMENT
Children
- Paracetamol, oral, 10–15mg/kg/dose 6 hourly when required. See: dosing table.
Adults
- Paracetamol, oral, 1g 4-6 hourly when required.
- Maximum dose: 15mg/kg/dose.
- Maximum dose: 4g in 24 hours.
REFERRAL
- Abdominal pain (to exclude pancreatitis).
- Painful swollen testes (orchitis).
- Suspected meningo-encephalitis.
Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List for South Africa, Primary Healthcare, 2020-2024_Version 1.1_20 January 2025
Chapter 10: Infections and Related Conditions_10.10 Mumps