An extremely effective vaccination exists against mumps, which is usually administered to children for the first time between 12 and 15 months of age. Usually, this vaccination is given as part of a combination vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. The second vaccination is given between the ages of 15 and 23 months. There should be at least a four-week period between the two vaccinations. The mumps vaccine is a live vaccine, which means that attenuated pathogens are injected.
Frequency of the disease
Of children who are not vaccinated against mumps, about 90 percent become infected with the viral disease by the time they are 15 years old. However, relatively few cases of mumps now occur in Germany because vaccination is routinely given to children.
Mumps despite vaccination
Very rarely, it is possible to contract mumps despite vaccination. This is possible if the mumps vaccination has not taken effect as desired. Possible causes may include an incorrectly stored vaccine or an immune deficiency.
Since two vaccinations against mumps are given nowadays, the virus only occurs extremely rarely in vaccinated persons. This is because the second vaccination is not a booster but a second vaccination. This is intended to catch those cases in which the first vaccination did not work.
Mumps in adults
Adults are even less likely to be affected by mumps than children. This is because most adults are either vaccinated or contracted the virus in childhood. After that, there is usually lifelong immunity.
Only about ten percent of those who are not vaccinated against mumps do not contract the disease as children and can therefore still be infected with the virus as adults. In rare cases, a secondary infection is also possible. In adults, mumps progresses with complications much more frequently than in children.
Mumps during pregnancy
If pregnant women contract mumps, the virus can cause miscarriage, especially in the first months of pregnancy. In contrast, it is not yet known that malformations or premature birth can occur as a result of the disease.
Newborns and infants whose mothers have already been infected with mumps cannot contract the disease. They are protected for several months by the mother’s antibodies.
