Abstract

Recently, the number of acute hepatitis A cases has decreased in Japan. However, six patients with acute liver failure caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV) have been admitted to Chiba University Hospital, Japan, in the last 18 months, between 2010 and June 2011. The aim of this study is to characterize the recent HAV genotypes from an urban hospital in Japan and to compare the clinical differences. Hepatitis A virus RNA was detected by strand-specific reverse transcription. Then, HAV VP1/2A regions were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequences were directly determined and phylogenetic trees were constructed for determining HAV subgenotypes. Analysis of these HAV genomes revealed that 4 and 2 belonged to subgenotypes IA and IIIA, respectively. Fujiwara et al. reported a frequency of HAV subgenotype IIIA of only 2.1% in Japan. We conclude that HAV subgenotype IIIA might be widespread in our country.

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