title: [Co-circulation of two genotypes of hepatitis A virus from sporadic cases in northeastern area of Seoul, Korea].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In previous studies, most hepatitis A virus (HAV) isolates had been genotype IA in Korea. Recently, a small number of different genotypes were reported with an upsurge of acute hepatitis by HAV. We investigated the distribution of HAV genotypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  RNA was extracted from anti-HAV IgM positive sera which were collected from March 2007 to February 2008 at a tertiary care hospital in Northeastern Seoul, Korea. Nested reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and direct sequencing for VP1/P2A region of the HAV were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 699 cases with suspected acute hepatitis were tested for anti-HAV IgM, and positive results were obtained in 56 sera (8.0%), which were collected 2 to 15 days (median, 7 days)after the onset of symptoms. Of the 56 seropositive samples, 52 (92.9%) were positive for HAV RNA, among which 28 isolates (53.8%) belonged to genotype IA and the remaining 24 (46.2%) belonged to genotype IIIA. Both IA and IIIA genotypes were isolated from 6-7 neighboring administrative districts throughout the year without geographic or seasonal restrictions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Co-circulation of two distinct HAV genotypes (IA and IIIA) was observed from the northeastern Seoul for the year studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Dong Dae
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Won-Choong
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Oh-Joong
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jae-Chan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Bo-Moon
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000821:virology*; D017957:Hepatitis A Virus, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins