BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) is important for diagnosis and epidemiological studies of hepatitis A. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is a sensitive test to detect HAV-RNA in specimens. The aims of the present study were to clarify the detection rate of serum HAV-RNA by PCR and the natural history of HAV viraemia, and to determine the correlation between viraemia and the clinical characteristics in patients with acute hepatitis A. METHODS: Hepatitis A virus RNA was tested in 74 serum samples which were serially collected from 27 patients with acute hepatitis A. A nested reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for HAV-RNA was performed with primer sets located at the VP1 region of the HAV genome and the PCR products were electrophoresed on a 1.5% agarose gel. RESULTS: Hepatitis A virus RNA was found in 18 of 27 (67%) patients with hepatitis A. There were no significant differences between groups positive and negative for HAV-RNA in clinical and laboratory data, except the time interval between clinical onset and initial serum sampling for RT-PCR (10 +/- 6 vs 19 +/- 14 days) and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level at initial serum sampling for RT-PCR (1436 +/- 1416 vs 518 +/- 432 IU/L). The mean duration of HAV viraemia was 30 +/- 19 days (range, 5-59 days). The duration of HAV viraemia and duration of abnormal ALT levels from clinical onset were positively correlated (r = 0.685, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, HAV-RNA RT-PCR is a useful tool to detect HAV viraemia and to study the molecular epidemiology of HAV infection.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) is important for diagnosis and epidemiological studies of hepatitis A. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is a sensitive test to detect HAV-RNA in specimens. The aims of the present study were to clarify the detection rate of serum HAV-RNA by PCR and the natural history of HAV viraemia, and to determine the correlation between viraemia and the clinical characteristics in patients with acute hepatitis A. METHODS:Hepatitis A virus RNA was tested in 74 serum samples which were serially collected from 27 patients with acute hepatitis A. A nested reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for HAV-RNA was performed with primer sets located at the VP1 region of the HAV genome and the PCR products were electrophoresed on a 1.5% agarose gel. RESULTS:Hepatitis A virus RNA was found in 18 of 27 (67%) patients with hepatitis A. There were no significant differences between groups positive and negative for HAV-RNA in clinical and laboratory data, except the time interval between clinical onset and initial serum sampling for RT-PCR (10 +/- 6 vs 19 +/- 14 days) and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level at initial serum sampling for RT-PCR (1436 +/- 1416 vs 518 +/- 432 IU/L). The mean duration of HAV viraemia was 30 +/- 19 days (range, 5-59 days). The duration of HAV viraemia and duration of abnormal ALT levels from clinical onset were positively correlated (r = 0.685, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, HAV-RNA RT-PCR is a useful tool to detect HAV viraemia and to study the molecular epidemiology of HAV infection.
Authors: Y M Jee; U Go; D Cheon; Y Kang; J-D Yoon; S-W Lee; Y H Shin; K-S Kim; J-K Lee; E-K Jeong; B-K Yang; H W Cho Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2006-02 Impact factor: 2.451
Authors: Hyun Phil Shin; Joung Il Lee; Sung Won Jung; Jae Myung Cha; Kwang Ro Joo; So Young Kang Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2010-01-27 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Luciane Almeida Amado Leon; Adilson José de Almeida; Vanessa Salete de Paula; Renata Santos Tourinho; Daniel Antunes Maciel Villela; Ana Maria Coimbra Gaspar; Lia Laura Lewis-Ximenez; Marcelo Alves Pinto Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-12-21 Impact factor: 3.240