Complications

If the testicles in boys or the ovaries (= ovaries) in girls are affected by the generalized inflammatory process, infertility may occur after the painful inflammation. In girls, in 15% of cases, the mammary gland and ovaries become inflamed. Inflammation of the meninges (=meningitis) is present in about 5-10% of cases and has a good prognosis, i.e. the probability of healing of the inflammation without consequences is high.

Pancreatitis, the inflammation of the pancreas, is another possible complication of mumps. It has a 5% probability of occurrence. It is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and a greatly increased concentration of amylase (pancreatic enzyme) in the blood.

In one out of 10,000 cases, mumps disease results in sensorineural hearing loss, which is why a hearing test should be performed after the parotid gland has become inflamed. Rare complications in the form of inflammatory processes affect other organs such as the thyroid gland (= thyroiditis), the heart muscle (= myocarditis) or the kidneys (= nephritis). In the context of mumps disease, an inflammation of the testicles (orchitis/mumpsorchitis) can occur.

This usually occurs four to eight days after swelling of the parotid glands and can last up to two weeks. There is a severe swelling of the testicles, usually on one side only. In addition, there is a pressure pain of the swollen testicle.

Boys in puberty are particularly affected by this. One assumes an occurrence of almost 30% in the over 15-year-old. and inflammation of the testicles.

As important differential diagnoses of testicular inflammation a torsion of the testis (testicular torsion) or a testicular appendage (hydatid torsion), as well as an epididymitis are possible. Torsion of the testis in particular should be ruled out at an early stage and, if necessary, surgery should be performed, as otherwise infertility is imminent. The inflammation of the testes in mumps can lead to a loss of tissue (atrophy) of the testes, as well as to changes in the sperm and in rare cases to infertility. However, if mumps orchitis is present on both sides, the risk of infertility is significantly increased. In women, an inflammation of the ovaries can occur as a counterpart.