Virulence and persistence of three prototype strains of mumps virus in newborn hamsters.

Neuroadapted mumps virus (NMV) produces widespread central nervous system (CNS) disease and death after intracerebral (i.c.) inoculation of newborn hamsters. After intraperitoneal (i.p.) inoculation, NMV causes disseminated disease, moderate mortality and it persists in CNS tissues. Low tissue culture passage isolates of wild mumps virus do not establish CNS infection after i.p. inoculation; after i.c. inoculation they cause limited though persistent infection with little acute mortality. The biological behavior of a highly passaged vaccine strain of mumps virus (Jeryl-Lynn) is more similar to NMV than to the wild strain in its behavior in the newborn hamster.