Although the swollen parotid glands and high temperature caused by mumps may be unpleasant, the most serious repercussions involve possible infection of other organs.
In 20 to 30 per cent of the cases of adult men with mumps, the disease infects the testicles (orchitis) causing swelling, pain, soreness and a higher temperature. This often occurs about a week after the disease has broken out, and is a serious infection that may cause sterility.
However, among the few sexually mature men who contract mumps, only half get orchitis. Of these patients, only 10 per cent are affected in both testicles, and even then it does not necessarily cause sterility. If sterility occurs, there is still a chance that fertility may return.
Boys who have not reached puberty and are not sexually mature rarely get this kind of inflammation of the testicles.
The risk of women contracting oophoritis - inflammation of the ovaries - is even smaller than inflammation of the testicles in men. However, should this happen, it has no effect on fertility.
Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) is a recognised but uncommon complication.
A less rare complication of mumps is meningitis, which may appear 3 to 10 days after the onset of mumps. This is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord.
Meningitis is a serious disease, but in connection with mumps it is usually mild. However, it still requires close attention and special care of the patient. The symptoms of mumps-meningitis are:
