Whole-genome analysis of mumps virus genotype F in Shandong, China (2006–2018)
Frontiers in Microbiology·
- DOI
- 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1912439
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- —
- Study type
- Genomic study
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Mumps incidence in Shandong declined after vaccine introduction but remained above WHO elimination thresholds; the study provides whole-genome evidence that genotype F strains did not detectably diverge or drift away from the vaccine strain over ~12 years, while illustrating that SH-gene typing alone lacks resolution for closely related isolates.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
Whether genetic evolution of circulating mumps virus strains has contributed to sustained high mumps incidence in Shandong Province after introduction of mumps-containing vaccines.
Study design
Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic comparison of mumps virus strains isolated at two time points (pre-vaccine 2006–2007 and post-rollout 2018), combined with review of reported case data from 2005 to 2024.
Population and setting
Shandong Province, China, with mumps case surveillance data spanning 2005–2024 and 16 sequenced mumps virus strains.
Main findings
All 16 strains were genotype F, with 98.34–100% nucleotide identity across full-length genomes. Phylogeny showed intermingling rather than time-specific clustering of 2006–2007 and 2018 isolates, with comparable genetic distance to vaccine strain S79 between the two groups. Two positively selected sites were identified in structural proteins, and eight HN/F mutations altered physicochemical properties but were predicted not to change protein conformation.
Public-health relevance
Mumps incidence in Shandong declined after vaccine introduction but remained above WHO elimination thresholds; the study provides whole-genome evidence that genotype F strains did not detectably diverge or drift away from the vaccine strain over ~12 years, while illustrating that SH-gene typing alone lacks resolution for closely related isolates.
Important limitations
Only 16 strains were sequenced from a ~12-year span and a single province, limiting generalizability. The summary relies solely on the supplied single-article abstract/metadata and requires the original paper for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
This genomic surveillance paper is discoverable through classifiers linking it to mumps, vaccination, genomic epidemiology, and surveillance in Shandong, China; the abstract itself does not connect its findings to any live surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 10 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.