Molecular Epidemiology of an Outbreak of Hepatitis A in Korea.
- Author:
Jae Seok KIM
1
;
Sang Hoon KIM
Author Information
1. Armed Forces Seoul District Hospital.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hepatitis A;
HAV;
Molecular epidemiology;
Outbreak;
Phylogenetic analysis
- MeSH:
Disease Outbreaks;
Genotype;
Hepatitis A virus;
Hepatitis A*;
Hepatitis*;
Humans;
Korea*;
Molecular Epidemiology*;
RNA
- From:Korean Journal of Clinical Pathology
2001;21(2):114-118
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Recently, some outbreaks of hepatitis A have been reported in Korea. Comparisons of VP1/P2A sequence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) are useful in identifying a specific strain, its genotype, and geographic distribution of HAV. We performed nested reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and direct sequencing of HAV to investigate a molecular epidemiology of an outbreak of HAV infection. METHODS: Stool specimens collected from 24 patients during a hepatitis A epidemic were examined. Nested RT-PCR, targeting the VP1/P2A region, was performed. The RT-PCR products from six samples were sequenced to evaluate the genetic relatedness among the strains. RESULTS: HAV RNA was detected in 16 of 24 patients with hepatitis A. All of the six tested for HAV strains showed a 100% nucleotide identity and were classified as subgenotype IA by phylogenetic analysis of the VP1/P2A region. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the HAV VP1/P2A region suggested that a single HAV strain caused the outbreak. Korean HAV strains from this study belong to subgenotype IA, which is the prevalent type in the world.
