Hepatitis A virus in cell culture. III. Propagation of hepatitis A virus in human embryo kidney cells and human embryo fibroblast strains.

The propagation and adaptation of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in human embryo kidney cells (HKC) is shown. The growth curve of HAV in the first passage through HKC is compared to the growth curve in the tenth passage through HKC. It is shown that in the course of 18 passages through HKC, HAV adapted to these cells causing the virus to grow much more rapidly. The cell-bound HAV is compared to the HAV released in the cell-culture supernatant during the ninth passage through HKC. The HAV from the tenth passage through HKC is shown to be able to replicate also in a human embryo fibroblast strain (HFS). Furthermore, adaptation of the HAV to HFS is demonstrated.