title: [Molecular and clinical characterization of hepatitis a virus in Gwangju and Jeonnam province].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dominant genotype of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in Korea had been known to be genotype 1A in 1990s. Recently, the epidemiologic change of HAV genotype was reported with an upsurge of acute hepatitis A in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the change of HAV genotypes and clinical characteristics in Gwangju and Jeonnam province.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2008 to October 2009, a total of 82 patients with acute hepatitis A were enrolled prospectively. HAV genotype was determined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the PCR products of VP1/2A region of HAV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HAV RNA was detected in 82% (67/82). The genotype IIIA (88%, 59 cases) was significantly more frequent than genotype IA (12%, 8 cases) (p ≤ 0.01). The subtypes of genotype IIIA were AJ299467 Norway (49%), HA-JNG04-09 Japan (27%), HS-14-12-00 Spain (22%) and H-122 Sweden (2%). The subtypes of IA were FH1 Japan (50%) and HA J04-3 Japan (50%). The substitutions of amino acid were more frequent in genotype IIIA than IA (p≤ 0.01). There was no difference in the clinical characteristics between the patients with genotype IIIA and IA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genotype IIIA was a dominant genotype of recent HAV infection in Gwangju and Jeonnam province. This study provides valuable epidemiologic information of genetic distributions of HAV in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Du Young
authors.initials: du Y
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Sung Bum
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yeon Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Wan Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang Hwan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Hyen Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rew
authors.forename: Sung Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014505:Urban Population; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; C096539:VP1 protein, hepatitis A virus; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins