Testicular immunology
Mumps is a viral disease which causes swelling of the salivary glands and testes. The mumps virus lives in the upper respiratory tract and spreads through direct contact with saliva. Prior to widespread vaccination programs, it was a common childhood disease. Mumps is generally not serious in children, but in adults, where sperm have matured in the testis, it can cause more severe complications, such as infertility.
Mumps outbreaks in the 21st century
As of March 17, 2017, there have been 43 confirmed cases in the city of Toronto with the highest rates in the west end. Most cases have occurred in people in their late teens to mid-thirties, and the hike in cases has been linked to patrons of bars in the city’s west end.