Is severity of mumps disease related to MMR vaccination status and viral shedding?
MMR vaccination was associated with less severe disease among mumps patients. Systemic spread of virus was associated with more severe disease. The elevated salivary viral loads in patients with systemic mumps disease suggest that these patients pose a higher risk for mumps virus transmission. Our study contributes to the understanding of mumps virus pathogenesis and shows the protective effect of MMR vaccination on severity of disease.
The results of tests on the psychometric properties of the PNAP questionnaire showed at least satisfactory validity and reliability, and it can be employed to assess the needs of palliative care patients in Central European countries.