How soon do symptoms appear?
Symptoms typically appear 16-18 days after infection, but this period can range from 12-25 after infection. How is mumps spread? Mumps is spread by mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when a person coughs or sneezes. Surfaces of items (e.g. toys) can also spread the virus if someone who is sick touches them without washing their hands, and someone else then touches the same surface and then rubs their eyes, mouth, nose etc. (this is called fomite transmission). How long is an infected person able to spread the disease? Mumps virus has been found in respiratory secretions 3 days before the start of symptoms until 9 days after onset. Although mumps virus has been detected on rare occasions for up to 9 days after symptom onset, the patient is most infectious within the first 5 days. Therefore, CDC now recommends isolating mumps patients for 5 days following onset of symptoms (parotitis). What is the treatment for mumps? There is no specific treatment.
