Biophysical and biochemical properties of CR326 human hepatitis A virus.

CR326 human hepatitis A virus purified by isopycnic banding from infected marmoset sera was shown to consist of 27 mmu spherical particles on electron microscopic examination. The particles were identified as hepatitis A virus by tests by infectivity and by specific neutralization of infectivity with convalescent human hepatitis A serum. Also, identical 27 mmu viruses in liver extracts gave specific reactions with hepatitis A antisera when tested by immune electron microscopy. The buoyant density of the virus in CsCl was 1.34 and it was heat (60 C), ether, and acid stable but was destroyed by heat (100 C), formalin (1:4000), and ultraviolet irradiation. Electron microscopic studies of sections of infected marmoset liver showed intracytoplasmic virus particles, usually in vesicles. Presumptive findings for RNA, together with the intracytoplasmic location of the virus, indicated the virus to be of RNA-type. The attributes of the virus indicate it is closely related to the enterovirus family and not to hepatitis B virus.