[Adaptation of hepatitis A virus to nonprimate cells]

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was adapted to nonprimate BHK-21 cell line (Syrian hamster kidney). Enzyme immunoassay, immunoblotting, and slot hybridization demonstrated the capacity of HM175 culture strain to stable reproduction in this cell line. More than 50 passages of adapted HAV were carried out, which showed no changes in the basic cultural characteristics of the virus. The data permit a conclusion on the possibility of HAV reproduction in nonprimate cells.