The effects of ribavirin on BHK-21 cells acutely infected with mumps virus were compared to the effects of the drug on the same cell line persistently infected with mumps virus. Visible cytotoxicity was minimal for both cell types; however, there was an inhibition of cell replication with increasing drug concentrations. Ribavirin had marked antiviral activity against both the acute and persistent infections as determined by an inhibition of hemadsorption plaque formation, decreased immunofluorescence, and a reduction in the release of infectious virus. Even after the drug had been on the persistently infected cells for 72 h, there was still antigen production detectable by immunofluorescence, although the cells no longer hemadsorbed chicken erythrocytes. Ribavirin removal from both types of infection resulted in the renewed synthesis of virus.