Rubulavirus
If not vaccinated against mumps, susceptible individuals catch the disease by breathing around an infected person who has coughed or sneezed, releasing their contaminated saliva. Those who have had mumps are usually immune to future infections of the disease. Children have the highest risk of catching mumps, and it is rare for an adult to contract mumps. The incubation period for mumps can range from a couple weeks to a month, while the illness period is a few weeks. The swelling of the salivary glands is caused when the virus travels from the respiratory tract to the salivary glands and multiplies within the glands, causing the glands to swell.
Molluscum contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum (MC), sometimes called water warts, is a viral infection of the skin that results in small, raised, pink lesions with a dimple in the center. They may occasionally be itchy or sore. They may occur singly or in groups. Any area of the skin may be affected, with abdomen, legs, arms, neck, genital area, and face being most common. Onset of the lesions is around 7 weeks after infection. It usually goes away within a year without scarring.
MC is caused by a poxvirus called the "molluscum contagiosum virus" (MCV). The virus is spread either by direct contact including sexual activity or via contaminated objects such as towels. The condition can also be spread to other areas of the body by the person themselves. Risk factors include a weak immune system, atopic dermatitis, and crowded living conditions. Following one infection, it is possible to get reinfected. Diagnosis is typically based on the appearance.
Prevention includes hand washing and not sharing personal items. While treatment is not necessary some may wish to have the lesions removed for cosmetic reasons or to prevent spread. Removal may occur with freezing, opening up the lesion and scraping the inside, or laser therapy. Scraping the lesion can, however, result in scarring. The medication cimetidine by mouth or podophyllotoxin cream applied to the skin may also be used.
Approximately 122 million people globally were affected by molluscum contagiosum as of 2010 (1.8% of the population). It is more common in children between the ages of one and ten years old. The condition has become more common in the United States since 1966. MC is not a reason to keep a child out of school or daycare.