Vaccine against mumps containing a jeryl-lynn virus strain

Abstract

A new mumps vaccine is presented, comprising a homogeneous pure isolate derived from the Jeryl-Lynn strain of mumps virus.

1 . An attenuated Jeryl-Lynn mumps virus stain characterised by the SH gene and the N terminus of the HN gene comprises the nucleic acid sequence as depicted in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         2 . A mumps vaccine comprising a substantially homogenous immunogenic Jeryl-Lynn isolate.  
     
     
         3 . A mumps vaccine as claimed in  claim 2  comprising a homogenous isolate of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         4 . A combined vaccine comprising a substantially homogenous immunogenic Jeryl-Lynn isolate and one or more of attenuated measles virus, or attenuated rubella virus or killed measles or rubella virus, or subunits of such viruses.  
     
     
         5 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 3  or  4  additionally comprising an agent for the protection against varicella or zoster infections.  
     
     
         6 . A method of producing a substantially homogenous immunogenic Jeryl-Lynn isolate. the method comprising: 
 passaging a Jeryl-Lynn preparation on a suitable cell line.    Selecting pure culture using the steps of either: 
 a) limit dilution; or  
 b) individual plague isolation.  
   
     
     
         7 . A homogeneous immunogenic Jeryl-Lynn isolate for use in medicine.  
     
     
         8 . A method of inducing immunity in a mammal susceptible to mumps infection comprising the administration to the mammal of an effective amount of a vaccine according to any of claim  2 - 5 .