Genetic heterogeneity of mumps virus in the United Kingdom: Identificationof two new genotypes

A reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was develope d to detect the small hydrophobic (SH) gene of mumps virus (MuV). Phylogene tic analysis was performed on the entire SH gene sequence (318 nucleotides) and the putative SH protein (57 amino acids). At least 4 MuV genotypes wer e identified in the United Kingdom between 1995 and 1998 by direct sequenci ng of 26 PCR amplicons from a variety of specimens. Comparison of these and GenBank sequences identified 2 new genotypes in the United Kingdom. The re sults suggest that, after the introduction of universal mumps vaccination i n the United Kingdom in 1988, there appears to have been a switch from a pr edominant genotype to a heterogeneous group of strains.