Loading...
Mumps is still a notifiable disease in all 50 U.S. states, with about 300 cases reported annually. However, making the diagnosis can be tricky, especially without evidence of an outbreak. Serologic mumps testing is particularly unhelpful in vaccinated individuals, who can have the disease without having the usual immunoglobulin M (IgM) spike.
Researchers used up-to-date virologic techniques to evaluate buccal and oropharyngeal swabs and blood samples from 101 children and adults in eight states who had parotitis between 2009 and 2011. None had known exposure to mumps. Pathogenic viruses were isolated from 38 specimens, including Epstein-Barr virus in 23, human herpes virus 6B in 10, and human parainfluenza virus in 4. Mumps virus was not iso…