Detection of 27-32 nm virus-like particles in stools of non-A, non-B hepatitis patients in Thailand by immunoelectron microscopy.

ABSTRACT

A total of 142 sporadic cases of viral hepatitis in Thailand were tested for HAV and HBV infections. Thirty nine and 58 cases were serologically found to be associated with HAV and HBV infections, respectively. The remaining 45 cases were unrelated to infection by HAV or HBV. In nine of these cases, we detected 27-32 nm virus-like particles in stools by immunoelectron microscopy using a reference serum of enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis (Fausta 3/87). This finding implies that enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis is prevalent also in Thailand.