Korean J Clin Microbiol.  2006 Apr;9(1):7-12.

TT Virus (TTV) Infection in General Population, Chronic Liver Diseases, Hemodialysis, and Transfused Patients

• Heo WB
• Lee NY
• Jeong KY
• Lee WK

Abstract

BACKGROUND: TT virus (TTV), isolated initially from a Japanese patient with posttransfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology, was suggested to be a new causative agent of hepatitis. However, it has been found to infect both healthy and diseased individuals and numerous studies have raised questions about its pathogenic role in hepatitis. In order to study its prevalence and clinical impact on hepatitis, we assessed the frequency of TTV DNA.
METHODS
Serum samples were obtained from 60 cases of the controls, 77 cases of chronic liver diseases, 44 cases of hemodialyzed patients, and 65 cases of transfused patients. TTV DNA was detected using nested polymerase chain reaction and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were measured.
RESULTS
TTV DNA was detected in 41.7% of the controls, 51.9% of patients with chronic liver diseases, 68.2% of hemodialyzed patients and 61.5% of transfused patients. Comparison between patients with or without TTV revealed no significant differences in AST, ALT, and HBsAg test results.
CONCLUSION
The prevalance of TTV infection in patients with chronic liver diseases was similar to that in the controls. TTV infection was not related to abnormal liver function findings and HBsAg positivity. We found no relationship between TTV infection and chronic liver diseases.

Keyword

TT virus (TTV); Chronic liver diseases; Hemodialysis; Transfusion

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Aspartate Aminotransferases
DNA
Hepatitis
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
Humans
Liver Diseases*
Liver*
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence
Renal Dialysis*
Torque teno virus*
Alanine Transaminase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
DNA
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens