[Characteristics of experimental models of hepatitis A in Papio hamadryas].

Hepatitis A (HA) was induced in 14 Papio hamadryas by strain VHA-PH isolated from this species of monkeys with spontaneous infection, strain VHA-MM isolated from Macaca mulatta, and a unique strain VHA-H3 isolated from a patient; this latter strain is pathogenic for Macaca mulatta in experiment. All infected seronegative animals developed a disease with virological, serological, biochemical, and morphological signs characteristic of human HA, but the duration of these signs manifestation varied. Virus in the feces and an increased level of SGPT were detected periodically starting from days 3-26 to 24-135, and in 4 monkeys even later (up to days 163-238). Morphologic changes in the liver, typical of acute hepatitis, were observed from days 10-46 to days 16-130. Strain VHA-H3 is less pathogenic for papios. HA models on Papio hamadryas infected with strains VHA-PH and VHA-MM can help solve many research and practical problems.