Propagation of Human Hepatitis A Virus in Cell Culture in Vitro

Human hepatitis A virus was reliably and repeatedly propagated in primary explant cell cultures of marmoset livers and in the normal fetal rhesus kidney cell line (FRhK6). Identity of virus was established in immunofluorescence, immunofluorescence blockade, serum neutralization, immune adherence, radioimmunoassay, immune electron microscopy, and marmoset inoculation tests. The virus propagated to greatest extent in FRhK6 cells. No cytopathology was observed. These studies represent the first reliable propagation of human hepatitis A virus in vitro and point the way to the eventual means for detection and quantification of live virus in vitro and of production in cell culture of virus for diagnostic antigen and vaccine preparation.