Before the mumps vaccination became widely available, three to four million cases hit the U.S. population every year, resulting in the most common cause of sterility in post-puberty males and a major cause of childhood deafness. In WWI, mumps disrupted the front lines, striking down as many men as 56 per 1,000. The Allies were fighting the war on two fronts, first against the Axis powers and secondly, against the mumps virus and other illnesses. More soldiers died of diseases in this war than of enemy fire.

In 2014, the National Hockey League had a small outbreak of mumps. In less than a month, between November and December, 18 players came down with the mumps with several other suspected cases. Close contact in locker rooms and sleeping quarters while on the road gives mumps an ideal environment in which to flourish. Also with so many international players, vaccination standards differ by country, leaving some more vulnerable than others.

What is mumps?

Mumps is a virus-borne illness generally not serious in children but could lead to painful and debilitating illnesses in adults. It starts with a few days of fever, muscle aches, headache, tiredness, respiratory problems, and loss of appetite. The most noticeable symptom of mumps which occurs up to 65 percent of the time is parotitis, or swelling of the salivary glands, located just under the ears. Symptoms typically appear between 12 and 18 days after infection but it could be as long as 25 days before signs of mumps appear.

Serious complications for post-puberty males include inflammation of either one or both of the testicles. For post-puberty females, inflammation of the ovaries or breasts may occur. These complications have been known to cause sterility problems in both males and females. More rarely, mumps can cause inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis, or the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, aka meningitis. Mumps encephalitis accounts for nearly 36 percent of all cases in this country with men three times more likely to be affected than women. Permanent deafness is also another mumps affliction.

Mumps is spread through droplets of saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose or throat of the sufferer. Sneezing, coughing and talking can all spread the virus. Close contact like sharing a dorm room or home with someone affected with mumps or crowded conditions like sporting events or parties, could get you in trouble, especially in the colder months of the year. People tend to gather together inside during these months, making the virus more easily spread.