A technology of preparing hepatitis A virus (HAV) from human stools

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a significant global health concern.
• Accurate serological diagnosis is crucial for managing HAV infections.
• Current diagnostic methods require highly purified and specific antigens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust method for isolating and purifying hepatitis A virus (HAV) antigens from stool.
• To evaluate the suitability of these antigens for third-generation serological diagnostic assays.
• To assess the antigen quality and yield from different stages of HAV infection.

Main Methods:

• Two-step differential centrifugation was employed using 40% and 20% sucrose gradients.
• Water extracts from HAV-positive stool samples were processed.
• Antigenic capacity and quality were assessed using serological reactions.

Main Results:

• Specific, defined HAV antigens were successfully isolated.
• The purified antigens demonstrated high quality and antigenic capacity.
• Optimal antigen yield and quality were achieved from incubation-period stools.
• Antigens could be diluted up to 150-fold for serological reactions, indicating high sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• The developed differential centrifugation technique provides a reliable method for producing high-quality HAV antigens.
• These antigens are suitable for sensitive and efficient hepatitis A serological diagnosis.
• The method is adaptable for producing antigens from various HAV-positive stool sources, with optimal results from incubation-period samples.