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Investigations

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The diagnosis is usually clinical. If there is doubt then a rise in antibody titres, detection of viral RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques or viral culture from saliva, urine or CSF is diagnostic. The excretion of virus persists longer in the urine than in the saliva; it can be cultured from urine in 70% of cases.

Serum

  • IgM can be detected as early 11 days after exposure
  • the optimal time for detection is around 7–10 days after the development symptoms (1).

Saliva

  • can use both IgM and RT-PCR tests (if salivary IgM is negative) to detect mumps in saliva
  • the salivary IgM test has high specificity (98%), and its sensitivity increases from 75% in the first week after symptoms appear to 100% thereafter. (1).

Urine

  • viral culture and RNA detection in urine can be done during the first 2 weeks of illness (2).

CSF

  • CSF shows lymphocytosis, an elevated protein and a normal opening pressure, serum glucose ratio (< 50%) in up to a quarter of cases
  • mumps RNA (up to 96% of cases) and specific antibody tests – IgG (in half of cases ) and IgM (in one third of cases) can be used to detect mumps in CSF (1).

Reference


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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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