Current status of mumps and mumps vaccine in the United States.

Reported mumps in the United States has declined to all-time low levels following the increasingly widespread use of mumps-virus vaccine. Mumps vaccine has proven safe and effective. Its incorporation into combined live-virus vaccines, especially measles-mumps-rubella, has made mumps vaccination a practical and economically feasible component of routine immunization activities. Because of the favorable experience to date with mumps vaccine and the associated drop in mumps morbidity and mortality, mumps control programs likely will receive increasing public health attention in the coming years.