what causes mumps in adults

Mumps in adults is caused by a virus that spreads from person to person through direct contact with infected saliva or through respiratory droplets from the infected person’s nose, mouth, or throat. The virus can be spread by coughing, sneezing, talking, sharing items such as cups and utensils, and kissing. Outbreaks of mumps in the United States most often happen where people live or work in close contact, such as college campuses, summer camps, and schools. The symptoms of mumps in adults are similar to those in children and include discomfort in the salivary glands or the parotid glands, difficulty chewing, pain and tenderness of the testicles, fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, and swelling of certain body parts such as testicles in males who have already gone through puberty. Complications of mumps are more likely among people who are not vaccinated and may include meningitis, encephalitis, orchitis, oophoritis, mastitis, pancreatitis, and hearing loss.