What is the Difference Between Mumps and Glandular Fever

The key difference between mumps and glandular fever is that mumps is an infection caused by a type of virus called paramyxovirus, while glandular fever is an infection caused by a virus called Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Viral infections are infectious diseases that people get from a virus. Common viral illnesses may include colds, flu, COVID-19, norovirus or stomach flu, HPV warts, herpes simplex virus infection or cold sores, mumps, and glandular fever. Many viral infectious diseases go away on their own. But some diseases are responsible for life-threatening complications needing proper treatment.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Mumps  
3. What is Glandular Fever
4. Similarities – Mumps and Glandular Fever
5. Mumps vs. Glandular Fever in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Mumps vs. Glandular Fever

What is Mumps?

Mumps is an infectious viral disease caused by a virus called paramyxovirus. It is a contagious disease that results in swelling of the parotid salivary glands in the face. It also creates a risk of sterility in adult males. Mumps are not common in some developed countries like the United States due to available vaccines. The initial symptoms of mumps include fever, headache, muscle aches, not wanting to eat, and fatigue or tiredness. The late-onset symptoms of this condition may include swelling of one or both glands on the sides of the face (parotid glands), pain around the swelling, and swelling of glands below the floor of the mouth. People may get mumps by breathing in tiny droplets, touching a surface where droplets have landed and then touching the face and making direct contact, like kissing or sharing a water bottle. The complications caused by mumps may include swollen testicles, swollen ovaries, encephalitis, meningitis, hearing loss, pancreatitis, and miscarriages.

Moreover, mumps can be diagnosed through physical symptoms, tests of a sample from the mouth, blood tests, and urine tests. Furthermore, treatment options for mumps may include resting pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, keeping a cold or warm cloth for swollen salivary glands, a cold cloth or ice pack for swollen testicles, drinking plenty of water, and vaccination.

What is Glandular Fever?

Glandular fever is an infectious viral disease that mainly affects teenagers and young adults. It is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Glandular fever is usually transmitted through spit or saliva; people can get it by kissing or sharing glasses, cups, or cutlery. The symptoms of glandular fever may include a very high temperature, a severe sore throat, swelling of the glands on either side of the neck, extreme tiredness, and tonsillitis. The complications of glandular fever include infections in the brain, liver, and lungs, severe anemia, damage to the spleen, and neurological conditions like Guillain-Barre syndrome and upper airway obstruction.

Moreover, glandular fever can be diagnosed through physical examinations and antibody tests. Furthermore, treatment options for glandular fever may include resting, drinking plenty of fluids, pain relief medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, gargling, steroids, and vaccination.

What are the Similarities Between Mumps and Glandular Fever?

• Mumps and glandular fever are two different viral infectious diseases.
• Both viral diseases can be transmitted through spit or saliva.
• They may show similar symptoms like swollen glands, tiredness, fever, etc.
• Both viral diseases can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests.
• They are mainly treated by resting, medications, and vaccination.

What is the Difference Between Mumps and Glandular Fever?

Mumps is an infection caused by a paramyxovirus, while glandular fever is an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Thus, this is the key difference between mumps and glandular fever. Furthermore, complications of mumps may include swollen testicles, swollen ovaries, encephalitis, meningitis, hearing loss, pancreatitis, and miscarriages. The complications of glandular fever may include infections in the brain, liver, and lungs, severe anemia, damage to the spleen, neurological conditions like Guillan-Barre syndrome, and upper airway obstruction.

The infographic below presents the differences between mumps and glandular fever in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Mumps vs. Glandular Fever

There are millions of viruses existing in this world. Among them, only 5000 types have been identified yet. Viral infections are among the primary afflictions in humans. Mumps and glandular fever are two different viral infectious diseases. Mumps causes swelling in the parotids glands on each side of the face due to paramyxovirus infection. On the other hand, glandular fever causes swelling in the lymph glands in the neck and results in prolonged lassitude due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. So, this summarizes the difference between mumps and glandular fever.

Reference:

1. “MUMPS.” Mayo Clinic.
2. “Glandular Fever.” NHS Choices.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Mumps PHIL 130 lores” (CC0) via Picryl
2. “MonoThroat” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia