Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Mumps Vaccination: Who Needs It?
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Mumps vaccine can prevent mumps disease. Mumps vaccine is usually given as part of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine or MMRV (MMR plus varicella [chickenpox]) vaccine.
Mumps is a serious disease caused by the mumps virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, and swollen glands. Mumps infection can lead to deafness, meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord covering), painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, rarely, death. See the Mumps website for more details about this disease.
Who Needs It?
Does my child need the mumps vaccine?
Children under 13 years old should get 2 doses of MMR or MMRV vaccine.
MMR vaccine:
- First dose at 12 through 15 months of age
- Second dose at 4 through 6 years of age (or at any age, as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose).
MMRV vaccine:
- First dose at 12 through 15 months of age
- Second dose at 4 through 6 years of age (or at any age up to 12 years, as long as it is at least 3 months after the first dose)
Those children between 13 and 18 years or old should get MMR and varicella vaccines as separate shots. Those 18 and older should consult the adult section on this page.
NOTE: Both MMR and MMRV vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.
For additional details, seek advice from your child's healthcare provider and also see the resources listed below.
As an adult, do I need the mumps vaccine?
Adults
Generally, anyone 18 years of age or older who was born during or after 1957 should get at least one dose of mumps-containing vaccine. However, persons who can show that they have been vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella or that they have had these diseases do not need MMR vaccine. Check the resources below for details.
NOTE: The combination MMRV vaccine is not licensed for those over 12 years old.
Healthcare workers
Vaccination recommendations for healthcare workers may differ from those for the general public; for details, see
- Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations
[66KB - 1 page] - Immunization of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of ACIP
Source: MMWR; November 25, 2011 / 60(RR07);1-45
- Vaccination Options for Preventing Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella
Who should not get the MMR or MMRV vaccine?
There are some people who should not receive these vaccines or who should wait to receive them. For details, see
- Who should not be vaccinated with MMR vaccine?
- Who should not be vaccinated with MMRV vaccine?
- Pregnancy guidelines
Additional Details
Consult these resources for more information including side-effects from MMR and MMRV vaccines
- Vaccination Options for Preventing Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella
- MMR Vaccine Information Statement [66KB - 2 pages]
- MMRV Vaccine Information Statement [242KB - 2 pages]
- Varicella Vaccine Information Statement [59KB - 2 pages]
- Childhood Immunization Schedule
- Adult Immunization Schedule
Return to main Mumps Vaccination page
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Content last reviewed on July 1, 2010
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases