Brauer, MariekeWolfaardt, MarianneWebber, Lynne M.Taylor, Maureen B.2016-06-062016-06-062016Brauer, M, Marianne Wolfaardt, M, Webber, LM & Taylor, MB 2016, 'Molecular detection and characterisation of mumps virus in cerebrospinal fluid in a Gauteng laboratory', Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 29-31.2312-0053 (print)2313-1810 (online)10.1080/23120053.2016.1118843http://hdl.handle.net/2263/52868The information contained in this article was presented by Marieke Brauer at the UNIPATH 2014 conference, held on 19-21 September 2014 at the CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria (no abstract number available).The study aimed to determine the presence of mumps virus (MuV) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens and to genetically characterise detected MuV strains. A real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the MuV F gene, and characterisation was performed by sequencing of the SH gene. Mumps virus was detected in 1.2% (3/260) of specimens. Phylogenetic analysis of one MuV strain revealed that it clustered with the Jeryl-Lynn and RIT4385 vaccine strains. As far as the authors could ascertain this is the first study to provide viral proof that these vaccine-like strains may be associated with aseptic meningitis.en© 2016 The Author(s). Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.Aseptic meningitisCentral nervous systemGenotypePolymerase chain reactionMumps virus (MuV)Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)Article