Cyclic excretion of hepatitis A virus in experimentally infected chimpanzees: Biophysical characterization of the associated HAV particles

Abstract

Experimental infection of two chimpanzees with the Phoenix Antigen strain of HAV resulted in the cyclic excretion of virus particles on days 9–11, 14–15, and 20–21 postinoculation. Isopycnic banding in CsCl of stool suspensions prepared from 9–11; 14–15;and 17, 19, 21 dav stool pools revealed multiple buoyant densities for the associated HAV particles. Hollow HAV particles found in the 9–11 day pool banded primarily at a buoyant density of 1.30 g/cm³. HAV in the 14–15 day stool banded bimodally in a CsCl gradient, with antigen peaks at buoyant densities of 1.29 and 1.33 g/cm³. HAV in the days 17, 19, 21 stool pool also banded bimodally in a CsCl gradient; however, the antigen peaks occurred at buoyant densities of 1.33 and 1.40 g/cm³.