Multiple buoyant densities of hepatitis A virus in cesium chloride gradients.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) recovered from stools of human cases of hepatitis A and from stools of chimpanzees experimentally infected with HAV was shown to possess multiple buoyant densities in CsCl gradients. The greatest proportion of HAV was most frequently found at a buoyant density of 1.32-1.34 g/cm3, however, large proportions of HAV were also frequently found at higher densities, including 1.36-1.37, 1.40-1.42, and 1.45-1.48 g/cm3. These findings are consistent with the notion that HAV may be a parvovirus.