Infertility: Paediatrician cautions parents on Mumps vaccination

Mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands that run along the angle of the jaw in front of and below each ear.

Kunle Otuneye, a paediatrician, on Monday said children who were not vaccinated against mumps were at higher risk of infertility later in life.

Mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands that run along the angle of the jaw in front of and below each ear.

Mr. Otuneye, who works with the National Hospital, Abuja, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that mumps could affect the testicles in men and ovaries in women if not treated.

According to him, mumps is caused by an organism, called a paramyxovirus, which is transmitted via the mouth by tiny drops of saliva and is contagious.

It can be contracted from talking, sneezing, sharing drinks, kissing or coughing.

“Children have the disease because they do not have the immunity to fight but they are more exposed to infection.

“A vaccine for mumps dramatically reduces the incidence of the disease, it is one of the most viral diseases among children,’’ Mr. Otuneye said.

He said the symptoms of mumps were fever, headache, weakness, fatigue and loss of appetite starting from 14 days to 24 days after infection.

“About a day after the onset of fever, the parotid gland near the ear begins to swell and ache, this makes chewing and swallowing painful and also increases in body’s temperature.

“The swelling and tenderness worsens over the next three days and may extend forward to the jaw and, for some, down the neck, depending on whether other salivary glands are involved.

Mr. Otuneye said the majority of mumps cases affected both the right and left parotid glands. He said parents must make conscious efforts to take their children for immunisations, especially mumps vaccination.

“Some cases of infertility in men and women could be as a result of not taking the mumps vaccination, mothers should make sure that their children are immunised,’’ Mr. Otuneye said.

(NAN)