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Microbiology · Paramyxoviruses (Parainfluenza, Mumps, Measles, RSV)

Mumps virus

Mumps orthorubulavirus

Mumps virus is an RNA-containing pathogen responsible for an acute childhood infection ("mumps"). It primarily affects the parotid salivary glands, as well as the glandular tissue of other organs and the nervous system, and is transmitted via airborne droplets.

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FamilyParamyxoviridae
GenomeRNA-containing
Discovery1934 (C. Johnson, E. Goodpasture)
SerotypesSingle serotype only
2 min readFor medical studentsUpdated Sep 25, 2026
Material prepared by WhiteCoat Pro editorial team based on platform study guidesReviewed by medical editor: Aulov A. A., general practitioner · 09/24/2026

Morphology and biological properties

The pathogen is spherical with a diameter of about 150 nm. Inside lies the nucleocapsid, which is associated with the matrix protein (M) and contains the nucleoprotein (N). Externally, the virus is enveloped (supercapsid), which incorporates:

  • Glycoprotein spikes: hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and fusion protein (F).
  • Transmembrane protein: SH (Small hydrophobic protein), located between the spikes.

Mumps virus exhibits neuraminidase activity and is capable of agglutinating human erythrocytes and those of certain animals (chickens, guinea pigs). It is also characterized by syncytia-forming activity—the ability to induce fusion of infected cells. The virus is unstable in the external environment.

Epidemiology and pathogenesis

Mumps is a highly contagious anthroponosis. Humans are the only hosts affected, most commonly children aged 5 to 15 years. Transmission occurs predominantly via airborne droplets, and less frequently through fomites contaminated with saliva. A patient becomes contagious at the end of the incubation period (1–2 days before symptom onset) and continues to shed the virus for the first 8 days of the illness.

Mechanism of infection development:

  1. Entry: the virus penetrates through the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.
  2. Primary replication: occurs in the respiratory epithelium and parotid glands.
  3. Viremia: the virus enters the bloodstream.
  4. Target involvement: it spreads to organs rich in glandular tissue (pancreas, thyroid, gonads) and also infiltrates the meninges.
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Clinical presentation and complications

The incubation period lasts from 14 to 20 days. The disease begins acutely with fever, headache, and general malaise. The main symptom is inflammation of one or both parotid salivary glands (glandula parotis). The illness lasts about a week and is frequently asymptomatic.

Complications pose the greatest danger due to the virus's tropism for other organs:

  • Orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), which can lead to infertility.
  • Pancreatitis.
  • Meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

Recovery confers robust, lifelong immunity.

Diagnostics and prevention

Laboratory diagnostics are rarely required since the clinical presentation is quite characteristic. When necessary, saliva, CSF, urine, or blood serum is analyzed via virological methods (cell cultures, chicken embryos) or serological methods (ELISA, CFT, HI assay—looking for a rise in antibody titers).

Prevention and treatment:

  • Active prevention: routine vaccination with a live vaccine in children over 1 year of age (monovalent vaccine or combined measles-mumps-rubella).
  • Emergency prophylaxis and treatment: administration of specific immunoglobulin.

Class and exam questions

Why is the mumps vaccine administered using only a single strain?

The mumps virus has only one serotype, so there is no need to develop multivalent vaccines.

During which period is a mumps patient most contagious?

The patient begins to shed the virus 1–2 days before the onset of the first symptoms (at the end of the incubation period) and remains contagious during the first 8 days of the illness.

Why is mumps dangerous for boys?

The virus is tropic to glandular tissue, and in males, it can cause orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), carrying a high risk of subsequent infertility.

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What else to study on this topic

  • Mechanism of action of the F protein (fusion protein) and the process of syncytium formation
  • Specific serological diagnostics: interpretation of paired sera
  • Cultivation of paramyxoviruses in the amniotic cavity of the chicken embryo
  • Characteristics of transplacental immunity development in children under 6 months

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Other topics in the section "Paramyxoviruses (Parainfluenza, Mumps, Measles, RSV)"

ParamyxovirusesParainfluenza virusMeasles virusRespiratory syncytial virusViral vaccines
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