MUMPS VACCINATION AND MENINGITIS IN FRANC E

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the incidence and the characteristics of spontaneously reported aseptic meningitis (AM) in France following mumps vaccination with monovalent or multivalent V accines containing the Urabe strain. Fifty-four cases of AM were repor ted to the regional drug surveillance centres or to the manufacturer f rom the time each vaccine was launched up until June 1992. Twenty case s were associated with the time off administration of a monovalent mum ps vaccine and 34 with a trivalent measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR). Amumps virus was isolated in four cases in the cerebrospinal fl uid and an Urabe-like strain was characterised twice by polymerase cha in reaction (PCR). A probable mumps origin was assumed in 17 other cas es where the patients presented with other clinical or biological sign s of mumps infection. The clinical outcome of AM was always favourable . The global incidence of mumps vaccine-associated AM was 0.82/100,000 doses, which is significantly lower than the incidence in the unvacci nated population. Even considering that the actual incidence of AM is much higher when assessed by active surveillance studies, the risk/ben efit ratio of mumps vaccine remains in favour of vaccination. The inci dence of mumps vaccines containing Jeryl Lynn (ROR Vax(R) et Imu ORR(R )) associated with AM needs to be evaluated.