mumps

(mumps) [L. parotid i’tis]. Contagious parotiditis: a contagious febrile disease marked by inflammation and swelling of the parotid gland. After an incubation period of about three weeks the symptoms appear with fever. headache, and pain beneath the ear. Soon there develops a tense, painful swelling in the parotid region, which interferes with mastication and swallowing and renders both actions painful. After a period of a few days to a week the symptoms gradually disappear. Sometimes the submaxillary and other salivary glands are involved, and occasionally the testicles, mamma: or the labia major a become swollen. One attack generally confers immunity from another. metastatic m., that which involves the testis or a mammary gland and labium majus. single m., that which affects only one of the parotid glands.