The present invention provides the complete genomic sequence of the epidemic mumps virus (MuV) strain MuVIowa/us/06. Further, a reverse genetics system was constructed and used to rescue recombinant viral constructs that are attenuated compared to MuVIowa/us/06 and JL vaccine viruses. Such constructs include viral constructs lacking the open reading frame (ORF) of the SH gene (rMuVΔSH) and/or incapable of expressing the V protein (rMuVΔV).
