Mumps

It is caused by an RNA virus of the genus Paramyxovirus in the family ParamyxoviridaeThe incubation period ranges from 14–24 days, with a peak at 17–18 days. Approximately 30–40% of infections are subclinical. In children, prodromal manifestations are rare but may be manifest by fever, muscular pain (especially in the neck), headache, and malaise. The onset is usually characterized by pain and swelling in one or both parotid glands. The parotid swells characteristically; it first fills the space between the posterior border of the mandible and the mastoid and then extends in a series of crescents downward and forward, being limited above by the zygoma. There is no specific antiviral therapy; treatment is entirely supportive