Enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis (ET-NANBH) is a type of hepatitis which is increasingly becoming a significant world health concern. As with hepatitis A virus (HAV), spread is by the fecal-oral mode of transmission. Until recently, the etiologic agent had not been isolated and identified. We have succeeded in the isolation and preliminary characterization of this virus and demonstrating that this agent can cause hepatic disease and seroconversion in experimental primates. Our characterization of this virus was facilitated by immune (IEM) and solid phase immune electron microscopic (SPIEM) methodologies.Many immune electron microscopy methodologies have been used for morphological identification and characterization of viruses. We have previously reported a highly effective solid phase immune electron microscopy procedure which facilitated identification of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in crude cell culture extracts. More recently we have reported utilization of the method for identification of an etiologic agent responsible for (ET-NANBH).
