Epidemiological characteristics of laboratory confirmed mumps infection in South Africa during the 2023 mumps outbreak: January 2023 - January 2024
1
Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
2
South African Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
3
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3929
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Mumps is a vaccine-preventable, self-limiting, respiratory viral infection mostly affecting children aged 5-9 years. Complications include meningitis, encephalitis, and rarely, death. During the 2022/2023 measles outbreak response, provinces reported suspected increases in mumps cases as potential complications of measles vaccination. We conducted a descriptive analysis of mumps laboratory test data to determine an increase in mumps infection and ascertain the existence of an outbreak.
METHODS:
We analysed mumps laboratory test data from National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), tested using serological and/or RT-PCR assay from January 2023 - January 2024. Laboratory test data was extracted from NHLS Central Data Warehouse. Laboratory-confirmed mumps infection/case was defined as any specimen with a test-positive result for mumps IgM or PCR.
RESULTS:
In total, 7973 mumps results were analysed, of which 6055 (76%) were mumps test positive. Most laboratory-confirmed infections were from North West (42%, 2523/6055), Gauteng (20%, 1183/6055), and KwaZulu-Natal (18%, 1089/6055) provinces. Age ranged from 0-63 years (Median: 6; IQR: 4-10). Children aged 5-9 years accounted for 54% (3230/6055), followed by 1-4 years (28%, 1657/6055). An increase in infections was observed in 2023 from epidemiological week 10 (from <50 positives per week to >100 (149/181, 60%)), with a peak in week 21 (593/673, 88%), and decreased from week 29, as testing reduced.
CONCLUSIONS:
The observed increase in mumps infections between March and July 2023 confirmed the existence of mumps outbreak. Mumps is not a notifiable medical condition (NMC) in South Africa; no surveillance exists, and it has poorly documented disease burden and epidemiology. Increases in mumps infection and outbreaks occur periodically, as mumps vaccination is not universally accessible. Lack of clinical presentation data, disease severity, hospital admissions, and vaccination status limited the study analysis. Establishing mumps surveillance is recommended to appreciate and better understand the disease burden and epidemiology in South Africa.
Mumps is a vaccine-preventable, self-limiting, respiratory viral infection mostly affecting children aged 5-9 years. Complications include meningitis, encephalitis, and rarely, death. During the 2022/2023 measles outbreak response, provinces reported suspected increases in mumps cases as potential complications of measles vaccination. We conducted a descriptive analysis of mumps laboratory test data to determine an increase in mumps infection and ascertain the existence of an outbreak.
METHODS:
We analysed mumps laboratory test data from National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), tested using serological and/or RT-PCR assay from January 2023 - January 2024. Laboratory test data was extracted from NHLS Central Data Warehouse. Laboratory-confirmed mumps infection/case was defined as any specimen with a test-positive result for mumps IgM or PCR.
RESULTS:
In total, 7973 mumps results were analysed, of which 6055 (76%) were mumps test positive. Most laboratory-confirmed infections were from North West (42%, 2523/6055), Gauteng (20%, 1183/6055), and KwaZulu-Natal (18%, 1089/6055) provinces. Age ranged from 0-63 years (Median: 6; IQR: 4-10). Children aged 5-9 years accounted for 54% (3230/6055), followed by 1-4 years (28%, 1657/6055). An increase in infections was observed in 2023 from epidemiological week 10 (from <50 positives per week to >100 (149/181, 60%)), with a peak in week 21 (593/673, 88%), and decreased from week 29, as testing reduced.
CONCLUSIONS:
The observed increase in mumps infections between March and July 2023 confirmed the existence of mumps outbreak. Mumps is not a notifiable medical condition (NMC) in South Africa; no surveillance exists, and it has poorly documented disease burden and epidemiology. Increases in mumps infection and outbreaks occur periodically, as mumps vaccination is not universally accessible. Lack of clinical presentation data, disease severity, hospital admissions, and vaccination status limited the study analysis. Establishing mumps surveillance is recommended to appreciate and better understand the disease burden and epidemiology in South Africa.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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