I'm 44 years old. About five years ago I had mumps. My doctor told me that it was just a gum infection, so I didn't do much about it until one morning when I noticed my left testicle was swelling. I was really upset, but there wasn't much more I could do at that point except to get better, which I did. I noticed maybe a year after this incident that I ejaculate much less sperm than before. Could this be a result of the mumps? If not, is it a problem anyway? I'm really afraid that I won't have a chance to have kids someday soon. Am I overreacting?

-- Virgil

The mumps virus normally attacks the salivary glands below the jaw. It can also affect the testicles, causing a painful condition called mumps orchitis. About 20-30 percent of adult males who have mumps will develop orchitis. Slightly more than one-third of these men will experience a degree of compromised testicular function. This means that the testicle can shrink in size and produce fewer sperm. Luckily, infertility is rare. I would recommend you have a semen analysis to determine the effect this infection had on you.