Mumps - Diagnosis

Before the mumps vaccine was developed, diagnosing mumps was easy. Most doctors had seen many cases of mumps and recognized the characteristic swollen salivary glands as a sign of the disease. Today, the disease is so rare that it can easily be missed. A doctor may attribute the swelling to some other condition, such as a bacterial infection. To diagnose mumps, then, the doctor's primary goal is to rule out other possible explanations for swollen salivary glands. A simple test is available that tells whether the swelling is caused by mumps or by some other condition, such as poor oral (tooth-care) hygiene.