Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was adapted to nonprimate BHK-21 cell line (Sy
rian hamster kidney). Enzyme immunoassay, immunoblotting, and slot hyb
ridization demonstrated the capacity of HM175 culture strain to stable
reproduction in this cell line. More than 50 passages of adapted HAV
were carried out, which showed no changes in the basic cultural charac
teristics of the virus. The data permit a conclusion on the possibilit
y of HAV reproduction in nonprimate cells.