Wild type mumps viruses circulating in China establish a new genotype.

By analysing the nucleotide sequence of the SH genes of five mumps virus strains derived from the clinical specimens collected during the 1995/96 mumps epidemic in China a new genotype has been established. The circulating viruses showed divergence ranging from 0.8-4.5% at the nucleotide level and 3.5-12.3% at the amino acid level. In addition, a more rational approach has been taken in proposing genotype groupings to MuV strains.