Guidance for isolation precautions for mumps in the United States: a review of the scientific basis for policy change.
The 2006 mumps resurgence in the United States raised questions about the appropriate isolation period for people with mumps. To determine the scientific basis for isolation recommendations, we conducted a literature review and considered isolation of virus and virus load in saliva and respiratory secretions as factors that were related to mumps transmission risk. Although mumps virus has been isolated from 7 days before through 8 days after parotitis onset, the highest percentage of positive isolations and the highest virus loads occur closest to parotitis onset and decrease rapidly thereafter. Most transmission likely occurs before and within 5 days of parotitis onset. Transmission can occur during the prodromal phase and with subclinical infections. Updated guidance, released in 2007-2008, changed the mumps isolation period from 9 to 5 days. It is now recommended that mumps patients be isolated and standard and droplet precautions be followed for 5 days after parotitis onset.
Kutty
Preeta K
PK
Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. pkutty@cdc.gov
Kyaw
Moe H
MH
Dayan
Gustavo H
GH
Brady
Michael T
MT
Bocchini
Joseph A
JA
Reef
Susan E
SE
Bellini
William J
WJ
Seward
Jane F
JF
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009107:Mumps / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D009109:Mumps virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010356:Patient Isolation / Q000592:standards*; D011050:Policy Making; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D013183:Sputum / Q000821:virology; D014481:United States; D019562:Viral Load