Mumps is caused by a member of the Paramyxoviridae family (Paramyxovirus species). This disease appears to only infect humans. Since there is a vaccine, the number of cases in the United States as been much reduced since 1965. This disease can be contracted by saliva or from breathing infected water droplets.

The family Paramyxoviridae contains virus lifeforms that are enveloped, helical, and negative-sense.

Typical viruses include tiny organisms that contain both a nucleic acid and some proteins. Many of these cause serious illness in humans. Included herein is AIDS, yellow fever, Mumps, Measles, and Hepatitus. Estimates indicate that over 30,000 species are under study with only about 3,000 recognized.

e have lumped all the virus like lifeforms herein, as science is still working on the taxonomy tree in this area.

Viruses are the most primitive of lifeforms. These organisms are usually too small to be seen by typical microscopes. Viruses are composed of a acid nucleus and some proteins. These organisms need to invade a living cell of a host in order to grow and reproduce. Several well known diseases are caused by viruses including Hepatitis, HIV, Mumps, Influenze, Rabies, and Yellow Fever.

There are several even more primitive virus like creatures that include viroids and prions. (Viroids can cause some plant health issues, and Prions can cause the mad cow disease.)

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