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Recent mumps outbreaks in vaccinated populations: no evidence of immune escape

Steven A Rubin1, Malen A Link, Christian J Sauder

  • 1Division of Viral Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, FDA, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. steven.rubin@fda.hhs.gov

Journal of Virology
|November 11, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Mumps virus outbreaks in vaccinated people raised concerns about vaccine effectiveness. However, studies show the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine effectively neutralizes diverse mumps virus strains, indicating no immune escape.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Recent large-scale mumps outbreaks have occurred in populations vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
  • Clinical mumps virus isolates from outbreaks are often genetically distinct from vaccine strains, prompting concerns about vaccine-induced immune escape.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether current mumps vaccine-induced immunity can neutralize diverse and contemporary mumps virus strains.
  • To determine if specific mumps virus genotypes can evade vaccine-induced protection.

Main Methods:

  • Sera were collected from children 6 weeks post-MMR vaccination.
  • Neutralizing antibody titers were measured against a panel of genetically diverse mumps virus strains, including contemporary outbreak isolates.

Main Results:

  • All tested mumps virus strains were readily neutralized by sera from vaccinated children.
  • While neutralizing antibody titers varied slightly between different virus strains, effective neutralization was consistently observed.
  • No evidence of significant immune escape was detected.

Conclusions:

  • The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine confers broad neutralizing immunity against diverse mumps virus strains.
  • Current mumps vaccine-induced immunity is likely effective in preventing infection and spread of circulating mumps virus genotypes.
  • Concerns regarding mumps vaccine-induced immune escape appear unwarranted based on these findings.

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