Dr Victor Fayomi, a general practitioner with a private hospital in Gwagalada, FCT, says complication of mumps can lead to infections of vital organs of the body.

Fayomi made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

According to him, mumps which is best described as swollen or puffy jaws is a contagious disease resulting from being infected with the mumps virus.

He said that the infection could lead to infection of testis in males who have attained puberty, ovaries in females and the brain as well as its covering.

“It can also lead to deafness in very rare case and infertility only arise in a small percentage of males with testicular complication.

“It is usually seen in school age children and young adults; the virus is contracted from the saliva and nasal secretions of infected persons when they sneeze, cough or talk.

“They also spread it through sharing of eating utensils and via close personal contact. The duration between contracting mumps and its manifestation is between two to three weeks,” he said.

He said that some of the symptoms include fatigue, body aches, headache, loss of appetite, fever and swelling of the jaws.

Fayomi said others include the swelling of the salivary glands “which is the primary organs the mumps virus infects and the peak period of infectivity is about three days before the onset of jaw swelling to about three days afterwards.’’

“Because mumps is a viral infection and antibiotics have no place in its treatment.

“Hence, management is usually supportive and is achieved through the use of over-the-counter pain relieving medications, increase in fluid intake and having a enough rest.

“Prevention of mumps is by administration of mumps vaccine which comes as a combination to children,” he added.