[Preparation and characteristics of cultured strains of hepatitis A virus from humans and monkeys].

Cultural strains of hepatitis A virus (HAV) have been isolated from spontaneously infected Macaca mulatta (HAV-MM), Papio hamadryas (HAV-PH), African green monkeys Cercopithecus aethiops (HAV-CA), and patients (HAV-H). The strains replicate in continuous cells lines AGMK, 4647, Vero, and FRhk-4. AGMK and 4647 cells are the most permissive at 32 degrees C. Virus propagation was not associated with the cytopathic effect and could be detected by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), immune electron microscopy (IEM), and molecular hybridization method (MHM). The morphological and antigenic properties of the above monkey and human strains did not differ in EIA and IEM with polyclonal antibodies and for one most conservative genome sites in the VP1 domain. Cultural strains retained their pathogenicity for monkeys. HAV strains are proposed to be used as HAV antigen in immunological tests and for hepatitis A induction in monkeys.