APPLICATION OF THE PCR TECHNIQUE TO THE DETECTION OF HEPATITIS-A VIRUS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Rapid, sensitive and specific techniques are needed to detect Hepatiti s A virus in environmental samples. We have applied the method of Jans en et al. to concentrate river samples. In the analysis of 13 samples only two proved to be positive using the Elisa method (15.3%). Three s amples were positive on cell culture (23%). The hybridization test res ulted in 38.4% positive samples compared to the 67% obtained using the PCR method. The PCR showed the highest sensibility when compared to t he traditional methods (cell culture and Elisa) and the differences we re statistically significant. The difference between hybridization tes t and PCR was not statistically significant.