Traveller vaccination mumps

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Seyedmahdi Pahlavani, M.D. [2]

Overview

Protection against mumps is not specific to the needs of travelling children. In many countries mumps vaccine is routinely administered in childhood. Travellers missing such vaccination should be offered immunization against mumps according to national recommendations.

Disease cause

Mumps virus

Transmission

Airborne droplets from upper respiratory tract of infected individuals

Nature of the disease

Mostly a mild disease of children characterized by transient swelling of the salivary glands. It is commonly complicated by benign viral meningitis, but it might provoke orchitis in adolescent or adult males.

Geographical distribution

• Following introduction of large-scale vaccination, indigenous transmission of mumps virtually stopped in many industrialized countries.
• Outbreaks still occur in countries or segments of populations with insufficient coverage of vaccination.

Risk for travellers

For non-immune travellers coming from areas without indigenous transmission, the risk of exposure to mumps virus is increased in an environment of insufficient vaccination coverage.

Vaccine

• Live attenuated vaccine normally in fixed combination with vaccines against rubella and measles, or rubella, measles and varicella.
• Following primary immunization (2 doses in children aged 1-2 years) protection against mumps is likely to extend into adulthood.