Mumps is an acute generalized viral infection, mainly affecting school-age children and adolescents.
A disease is widespread throughout the world, and humans are the only natural hosts.
A carrier state has never been described.
Before the vaccine era, the disease had characteristic epidemic waves every 2-5 years.
Although it can occur in all months of the year, the peak incidence in our country is from October to June with peak from April to May.
Is transmitted through direct contact, through saliva droplets, from 7 days before to 9 days after the appearance of parotid swelling.
The virus spreads through communities of children and from them secondarily to adult family members; there are no known harmful effects on the fetus.
Lethality from mumps is very limited in Italy. In Italy, a network of Sentinel Pediatricians has been established by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, which communicates, via the Internet, cases observed in daily practice.
