How contagious is Mumps?
Mumps
highly contagious
Mumps is highly contagious and spreads rapidly among people living in close quarters.[7] The virus is transmitted by respiratory droplets or direct contact with an infected person.[2] Only humans get and spread the disease.[1] People are infectious to each other from about seven days before the start of symptoms to about eight days after.[8] Once an infection has run its course, a person is typically immune for life.[1] Reinfection is possible but the ensuing infection tends to be mild.[9] Diagnosis is usually suspected due to parotid swelling and can be confirmed by isolating the virus on a swab of the parotid duct.[2] Testing for IgM antibodies in the blood is simple and may be useful; however, it can be falsely negative in those who have been immunized.[2]