[Co-circulation of two genotypes of hepatitis A virus from sporadic cases in northeastern area of Seoul, Korea].
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.
Yoo
Soo Jin
SJ
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seo
Dong Dae
DD
Choi
Won-Choong
WC
Kwon
Oh-Joong
OJ
Park
Jae-Chan
JC
Shin
Bo-Moon
BM
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
D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins