Mumps vaccine failure investigation in Novosibirsk, Russia, 2002–2004

The aims of this study were to estimate the importance of vaccine failure (VF) in cases of mumps during 2002-2004 in the city of Novosibirsk, Western Siberia, Russia, and to genotype the responsible virus strain. Mumps virus-specific RT-PCR testing of saliva was performed for 18 cases of mumps. Sera were tested for IgM and IgG, IgG avidity, and the ability to neutralise a panel of mumps viruses, including the Leningrad-3 mumps vaccine virus. Of the 12 patients for whom vaccination status was positively determined, 11 showed serological evidence of primary VF. Sequence analysis of virus RNA amplified from saliva revealed a genotype C2 virus in 2002, a genotype H2 virus in 2003, and both genotypes in 2004. Although several vaccinated patients were positive for mumps virus IgG at the time of first sampling, only nominal levels of neutralising antibody were detected, and these were effective in neutralising the vaccine strain, but not genotype C and H mumps virus strains. These results suggest that the majority of cases of mumps in vaccinees are caused by primary VF, defined as either a lack of seroconversion or a lack of IgG maturity, as based on avidity testing. The results also support the hypothesis that sera of low neutralising antibody titre have a limited ability to neutralise heterologous mumps virus strains, suggesting that antigenic differences between circulating and mumps vaccine virus strains may play a role in cases of breakthrough infection. Consistent with previous reports, mumps virus genotypes C and H continue to circulate in Novosibirsk.