From the Guidelines
A low mumps virus antibody level indicates insufficient immunity to mumps, and therefore, you should get the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to boost your immunity. According to the most recent guidelines, adults typically need one or two doses of MMR vaccine, administered as a subcutaneous injection 1. If you've never been vaccinated, you'll need two doses separated by at least 28 days. If you've had one dose previously, a single additional dose is sufficient. The vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce protective antibodies against the mumps virus. This is important because mumps can cause serious complications including orchitis (testicular inflammation), meningitis, and hearing loss.
Key Considerations
- The MMR vaccine has a protective rate of approximately 88% following administration of the 2 doses 1.
- Immunity to mumps is suggested by the presence of antimumps IgG-class antibodies.
- Diagnosis of infection can be supported by a positive serologic test for antimumps IgM antibodies and/or seroconversion or a 4-fold rise of mumps IgG antibody levels between acute and convalescent phase sera.
- The vaccine is generally very safe with only mild side effects like temporary soreness at the injection site or low-grade fever.
- Pregnant women and severely immunocompromised individuals should not receive the MMR vaccine.
Recommendations
- Consult your healthcare provider to schedule your vaccination and discuss any specific concerns based on your medical history.
- If you are unsure of your mumps disease/vaccination history, you should be vaccinated, as recommended by the immunization practices advisory committee (ACIP) 1.
From the Research
Mumps Virus AB Levels
- Low mumps virus AB levels may indicate a need for additional vaccination or booster shots, especially in individuals who have been previously vaccinated with 2 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine 2.
- Studies have shown that a third dose of MMR vaccine can provide a sustained elevation in mumps antibody levels, which may be beneficial for certain at-risk groups or as an outbreak control measure 3, 2.
Factors Affecting Mumps Virus AB Levels
- The intensity of exposure to the mumps virus, vaccine strain mismatch, and delayed implementation of control measures can contribute to outbreaks of mumps virus infections among fully vaccinated populations 4.
- The effectiveness of the mumps virus component of the MMR vaccine can be suboptimal, and factors such as the time since last vaccination and the use of appropriate laboratory tests can affect the accuracy of mumps virus AB level measurements 4, 5.
Measurement of Mumps Virus AB Levels
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and plaque reduction neutralization (PRN) titers are commonly used methods for measuring mumps virus AB levels, but the correlation between these methods can be poor 2, 5.
- The use of wild type mumps virus neutralization assays is recommended as a preferred tool for surveillance of protection against mumps virus infection, as they can provide more accurate measurements of mumps virus AB levels 5.