An outbreak of hepatitis A, affecting 183 people, occurred in Valencia (Spa
in). Epidemiological evidence pointed to an association of the outbreak wit
h consumption of Coquina clams (Donax sp), imported frozen from Peru. Shell
fish were analysed for the presence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), enterovirus
es, rotaviruses, astroviruses, caliciviruses and hepatitis E virus. HAV was
detected in 75% of assayed shellfish samples. Other enteric viruses were o
ccasionally found in the same samples. Molecular epidemiological analysis o
f fragments of the VP1 /2A and the 5 ' end of the genome from shellfish and
sera isolates, revealed the presence of six variants belonging to a single
genotype.