Childhood immunizations in the United States
Mumps is a contagious disease caused by the virus by the same name. Since most people in the United States have been vaccinated, mumps is now a rare disease in this country. Currently there are no specific treatments for mumps.
Mumps is spread person to person by droplets of saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose or throat of an infected person. This is done through coughing, sneezing, talking, and coming into contact with contaminate items. Transmission likely occurs before the salivary glands swell an up to 5 days after the swelling begins.
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
The JCVI has firmly endorsed the efficacy and safety of the MMR vaccine. Among many developments, in February, 1988, fifteen experts and officials met in the UK to discuss adverse events reported after the administration of the vaccines which contained the attenuated Urabe mumps virus strain. According to JCVI's minutes, the group "read a report of cases of mumps encephalitis which had been associated with MMR vaccine containing the Urabe strain of the mumps virus."