Evidence of hepatitis E virus replication on cell cultures

Several human and animal cell lines have been used to grow hepatitis E virus. The strain SAR-55 was adapted only on PLF/PLC/5 cell line without any visible cytopathic effect. The growth of the SAR-55 was monitored by examining the positive and the negative strands of HEV-RNA. Stool samples, obtained from hospitalised acute hepatitis patients at the Fever Hospital of Alexandria (Egypt), were used to confirm the susceptibility of PLF/PLC/5 cells. After more than one-week's cultivation, three stool samples out of 17 IgM anti-HEV positive and 1 from 52 IgG anti-HEV positive patients showed a specific RT-PCR amplification product. The nucleotide sequences of the methyltransferase region of the genome in the isolates revealed the maximum homology with Burma strain with several point mutations.