Resurging virus needs new vaccine.

• Position: Mumps

Mumps may seem like a disease of a bygone era to many people in the U.S. who, thanks to immunization programs, have been spared the fever, aches, and characteristic swollen jawline of the once common viral infection. Biao He, professor of infectious diseases at the University of Georgia, Athens, worries that a new strain of the virus is spreading, which could lead to the widespread reintroduction of mumps. He and his team are working on an updated vaccine to stop it.

Although not typically a life-threatening disease, mumps can lead to serious health problems such as viral meningitis, hearing loss, and pancreatitis, and it can cause miscarriage during early pregnancy.

Vaccinations diminished the number of cases dramatically and, at one point, it appeared that the U.S. was on pace to eradicate the disease, but two large outbreaks in 2006 and 2010 involving thousands of confirmed cases in the Midwest and Northeast put the hope of eradication on hold. He is concerned that the current vaccine, which has been in use since 1967, may be showing signs of weakness. "The virus is always evolving and mutating, and new viruses will emerge. It's only a matter of time until the old vaccine we have doesn't work."

The current vaccine is commonly called the Jeryl Lynn strain and is named after the daughter of inventor Maurice Hilleman. It is based on a specific mumps virus called genotype A. However, the 2006 and 2010 mumps outbreaks were caused by another strain, genotype G. Even more...