Identification and sequence analysis of hepatitis A virus detected in market and environmental bivalve molluscs.
In Italy in 1998, hepatitis A virus (HAV) was responsible for an infectious disease transmitted by contaminated bivalve molluscs. To determine the presence of HAV in the bivalves collected during a 1-year follow-up study, hepatitis A RNA was extracted and amplified by a nested reverse transcriptase-PCR method overlapping the VP1/2A region. The HAV genome was detected in 24 (14.1%) of 170 samples: 19 clams (Tapes decussates and Tapes semidecussatus), 1 oyster (Crossostea gigas), and 4 mussels (Mytillus galloprovincialis). Eleven positive samples were collected from marketing areas, and 13 positive samples were collected from growing areas. Seventeen of the 24 positive samples had been taken from domestic products, and 7 had been imported. Sequence analysis showed the presence of genotypes IA and IB. Our results suggest significant presence of HAV in bivalves from both marketing (public consumption) and environmental (growing) areas.
Zooprofilattico Institute of Latium and Tuscany Regions, Rome, Italy.
Alessia
A
Macaluso
Annarita
A
Petrinca
Luigi
L
Lanni
Stefano
S
Saccares
Sonia
S
Amiti
Rosanna
R
Gabrieli
Maurizio
M
Divizia
D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000821:virology*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000821:virology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012758:Shellfish / Q000821:virology*