Vicki J Brown

US Patent:

52906779, Mar 1, 1994

Filed:

Jan 31, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/828444

Inventors:

Betty H. Robertson - Chamblee GA
Omana V. Nainan - Decatur GA
Vicki K. Brown - Dunwoody GA
Harold S. Margolis - Lilburn GA
Bhawna Khanna - Lawrenceville GA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health
and Human Services - Washington DC

International Classification:

C12Q 170
C12P 1934
C07H 2104

US Classification:

435 5

Abstract:

Provided are methods for detecting hepatitis A virus (HAV) and HAV genotypes I and III by capturing whole hepatitis A virus with antibodies specific to hepatitis A virus, generating a cDNA copy of the RNA by reverse transcription in the presence of a negative strand primer having the sequence defined by SEQ ID NO:1, amplifying the cDNA by polymerase chain reaction with both the negative strand primer and a labelled or unlabelled positive strand primer having the sequence defined by SEQ ID NO: 2, and detecting the amplified cDNA by hybridization with either or both of the probes defined by SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:4 or by detection of label, wherein the presence of detectable hybridization or amplification indicates the presence of hepatitis A virus. Also provided are DNA primers and probes from the amino-terminal portion of the VPI region of the HAV genome that selectively hybridize with HAV, HAV genotype I and HAV genotype III and can amplify the amino-terminal portion of the VP1 region of HAV.

US Patent:

52682927, Dec 7, 1993

Filed:

Sep 6, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/758470

Inventors:

Betty H. Robertson - Chamblee GA
Vicki Brown - Dunwoody GA
Harold S. Margolis - Lilburn GA

International Classification:

C12P 2102
C12P 1934
C12N 700
C12N 500

US Classification:

4352402

Abstract:

The invention is a process for cell propagation of hepatitis A virus. The process involves purifying a culture of hepatitis A virus particles. These hepatitis A virus particles are used for infecting cells being cultivated in a media. The hepatitis A particles suitable for use in this invention must have a cytopathic effect in the infected host cells that are selected for culturing the hepatitis A virus. After developing the cytopathic effect in the infected cells, the hepatitis A viruses produce degeneration and lysis in the infected cells and are released into the media. Isolation of the released hepatitis A virus then occurs. The preferred cells for use in this invention are FRhK4 (foetal rhesus monkey kidney) cells. The preferred virus particles for use in this invention are hepatitis A, strain HAS-15 particles have an antigen coded by a nucleotide sequence according to FIG. 1.