Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

J Infect Dis 2008 Aug 15;198(4):508-515

Antibody Induced by Immunization with the Jeryl Lynn Mumps Vaccine Strain Effectively Neutralizes a Heterologous Wild-Type Mumps Virus Associated with a Large Outbreak.

Rubin SA, Qi L, Audet SA, Sullivan B, Carbone KM, Bellini WJ, Rota PA, Sirota L, Beeler J

Rubin, SA, US FDA, Div Viral Prod, Ctr Biol Evaluat & Res, OVRR, Bldg 29A,Rm 1A-21,8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA. US FDA, Div Viral Prod, Ctr Biol Evaluat & Res, OVRR, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA Marshfield Clin Fdn Med Res & Educ, Dept Pediat, Marshfield, WI USA Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Div Viral Dis, Atlanta, GA USA

Recent mumps outbreaks in older vaccinated populations were caused primarily by genotype G viruses, which are phylogenetically distinct from the genotype A vaccine strains used in the countries affected by the outbreaks. This finding suggests that genotype A vaccine strains could have reduced efficacy against heterologous mumps viruses. The remote history of vaccination also suggests that waning immunity could have contributed to susceptibility. To examine these issues, we obtained consecutive serum samples from children at different intervals after vaccination and assayed the ability of these samples to neutralize the genotype A Jeryl Lynn mumps virus vaccine strain and a genotype G wild-type virus obtained during the mumps outbreak that occurred in the United States in 2006. Although the geometric mean neutralizing antibody titers against the genotype G virus were approximately one-half the titers measured against the vaccine strain, and although titers to both viruses decreased with time after vaccination, antibody induced by immunization with the Jeryl Lynn mumps vaccine strain effectively neutralized the outbreak-associated virus at all time points tested.