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Irshad M, Joshi YK, Sharma Y, Dhar I. Transfusion transmitted virus: A review on its molecular characteristics and role in medicine. World J Gastroenterol 2006; 12:5122-34. [PMID: 16937521 PMCID: PMC4088008 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i32.5122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The present review gives an updated overview of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV), a novel agent, in relation to its molecular characteristics, epidemiological features, modes of transmission, tissue tropism, pathogenesis, role in various diseases and its eradication from the body. TTV, a DNA virus, is a single stranded, non-enveloped, 3.8 kb long DNA virus with a small and covalently closed circular genome comprising 3852 bases. It was tentatively designated Circinoviridae virus. TTV genome sequence is heterogeneous and reveals the existence of six different genotypes and several subtypes. TTV has been reported to transmit not only via parenteral routes, but also via alternate routes. This virus has been detected in different non-human primates as well. At present, TTV is detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with no other available diagnostic assays. It shows its presence globally and was detected in high percent populations of healthy persons as well as in various disease groups. Initially it was supposed to have strong association with liver disease; however, there is little evidence to show its liver tropism and contribution in causing liver diseases. It shows high prevalence in hemodialysis patients, pointing towards its significance in renal diseases. In addition, TTV is associated with several infectious and non-infectious diseases. Although its exact pathogenesis is not yet clear, TTV virus possibly resides and multiplies in bone marrow cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Recently, attempts have been made to eradicate this virus with interferon treatment. More information is still needed to extricate various mysteries related to TTV.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Irshad
- Clinical Biochemistry Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, PO Box -4938, A I I M S, New Delhi-110029, India.
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Irshad M, Sharma Y, Dhar I, Singh J, Joshi YK. Transfusion-transmitted virus in association with hepatitis A-E viral infections in various forms of liver diseases in India. World J Gastroenterol 2006; 12:2432-6. [PMID: 16688839 PMCID: PMC4088084 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i15.2432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To describe the prevalence of transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) infection in association with hepatitis A-E viral infections in different forms of liver diseases in North India.
METHODS: Sera from a total number of 137 patients, including 37 patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH), 37 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH), 31 patients with cirrhosis of liver and 32 patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), were analyzed both for TTV-DNA and hepatitis A-E viral markers. Presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections was detected in different proportions in different groups. Moreover, TTV-DNA was simultaneously tested in 100 healthy blood donors also.
RESULTS: None of the patients had hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections. Overall prevalence of TTV-DNA was detected in 27.1% cases with AVH, 18.9% cases with CVH, 48.4% cases with cirrhosis and 9.4% cases with FHF. TTV-DNA simultaneously tested in 100 healthy blood donors showed 27% positivity. On establishing a relation between TTV infection with other hepatitis viral infections, TTV demonstrated co-infection with HBV, HCV and HEV in these disease groups. Correlation of TTV with ALT level in sera did not demonstrate high ALT level in TTV-infected patients, suggesting that TTV does not cause severe liver damage.
CONCLUSION: TTV infection is prevalent both in patients and healthy individuals in India. However, it does not have any significant correlation with other hepatitis viral infections, nor does it produce an evidence of severe liver damage in patients with liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Irshad
- Clinical Biochemistry Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, PO Box-4938, A.I.I.M.S., Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India.
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Das K, Kar P, Gupta RK, Das BC. Role of transfusion-transmitted virus in acute viral hepatitis and fulminant hepatic failure of unknown etiology. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2004; 19:406-12. [PMID: 15012777 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2003.03308.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM The role of the newly described transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV), a circular single-stranded DNA virus, has been investigated in acute liver disease, comprising 36 patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) and 25 with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), including 50 volunteer blood donors as controls. METHODS Detection of TTV DNA sequences was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers derived from the UTR(A) region of the TTV genome. The clinical course and biochemical profile when infected with TTV alone or coinfected with other classical hepatotropic viruses were analyzed. All patients were first evaluated for liver function profile and for the presence of various hepatotropic viruses using serological tests and PCR in serologically negative patients. RESULTS Transfusion-transmitted virus DNA was detected in 80.6% (29/36) of the AVH cases and in 76% (19/25) of the FHF cases, which were significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) than the 52% (26/50) observed in volunteer blood donors. No significant difference in symptoms, clinical course, liver function and risk factor profile between TTV-positive and TTV-negative patients could be observed in both AVH and FHF patients. TTV was found to coexist with both parenterally and non-parenterally transmitted hepatotropic viruses in similar frequency in both AVH and FHF patients. Further, there was no significant difference in the mortality rates between TTV-positive and TTV-negative FHF patients. Also, there was no difference between patients coinfected by TTV and other hepatotropic viruses and those with TTV infection alone. CONCLUSION Thus, it appears that TTV, although it exists in a very high frequency in the Indian population, appears to have no significant etiological role in AVH and FHF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunal Das
- Gastroenterology Division, Department of Medicine, Institute of Cytology and Molecular Oncology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India
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Yoshida H, Kato N, Shiratori Y, Shao R, Wang Y, Shiina S, Omata M. Weak association between SEN virus viremia and liver disease. J Clin Microbiol 2002; 40:3140-5. [PMID: 12202544 PMCID: PMC130791 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.40.9.3140-3145.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, a novel DNA virus designated SEN virus (SEN-V), which is thought to be related to posttransfusion hepatitis, was discovered. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between SEN-V infection and the development of liver disease. We examined SEN-V from the sera of 21 patients with non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 13 patients with non-B, non-C chronic liver disease (CLD) without HCC who were admitted to our hospital between 1995 and 1997. Thirty-two patients without liver disease served as controls and were also examined for SEN-V. SEN-V DNA was detected by the nested PCR method after extraction of DNA from serum. SEN-V DNA was detected in 74% (25 of 34) of patients with CLD with or without HCC who were negative for both hepatitis B virus surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus antibody. SEN-V DNA was detected in 69% (9 of 13) of CLD patients without HCC and in 76% (16 of 21) of HCC patients. The prevalence of SEN-V was no higher in patients with liver disease than in patients without liver disease (24 of 32; 75%). There were no significant differences in age, sex, liver function, history of blood transfusion, or amount of alcohol intake between SEN-V-positive and SEN-V-negative CLD and HCC patients. Genetic analysis suggested that SEN-V is closely related to the TT virus family. SEN-V was detected at almost the same frequency in patients with and without liver disease. SEN-V does not seem to contribute either to the pathogenesis of liver disease or to the development of HCC from chronic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Yoshida
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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Ali S, Fevery J, Peerlinck K, Verslype C, Schelstraete R, Gyselinck F, Emonds MP, Vermylen J, Hiem Yap S. TTV infection and its relation to serum transaminases in apparently healthy blood donors and in patients with clotting disorders who have been investigated previously for hepatitis C virus and GBV-C/HGV infection in Belgium. J Med Virol 2002. [DOI: 10.1002/jmv.2181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Di SR, Ferraro D, Bonura C, Lo PG, Lacono O, Di Marco V, Craxì A. Are hepatitis G virus and TT virus involved in cryptogenic chronic liver disease? Dig Liver Dis 2002; 34:53-8. [PMID: 11926574 DOI: 10.1016/s1590-8658(02)80060-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis G virus can cause chronic infection in man but the role of this agent in chronic liver disease is poorly understood. Little is known about the relation of another newly discovered agent, the TT virus, with chronic liver disease. AIM To investigate the rate of infection with hepatitis G virus and TT virus in patients with cryptogenic chronic liver disease. PATIENTS A total of 23 subjects with chronically raised alanine transaminase and a liver biopsy in whom all known causes of liver disease had been excluded, and 40 subjects with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease. METHODS Evaluation of anti-hepatitis G virus by enzyme immunoassay. Hepatitis G virus-RNA by polymerase chain reaction with primers from the 5' NC and NS5a regions. TT virus-DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction with primers from the ORF1 region. Results. Hepatitis G virus-RNA was detected in 4 out of 23 patients with cryptogenic chronic hepatitis and in 6 out of 40 with hepatitis C virus chronic hepatitis (17.4% vs 15% p=ns). At least one marker of hepatitis G virus infection (hepatitis G virus-RNA and/or anti-hepatitis G virus, mostly mutually exclusive) was present in 6 out of 23 patients with cryptogenic hepatitis and 16 out of 40 with hepatitis C virus liver disease (26. 1% vs 40% p=ns). T virus-DNA was present in serum in 3 subjects, 1 with cryptogenic and 2 with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease. Demographic and clinical features, including stage and grade of liver histology, were comparable between hepatitis G virus-infected and uninfected subjects. Severe liver damage [chronic hepatitis with fibrosis or cirrhosis) were significantly more frequent in subjects with hepatitis C virus liver disease. CONCLUSIONS In Southern Italy, hepatitis G virus infection is widespread among patients with chronic hepatitis, independently of parenteral risk factors. Its frequency in subjects with cryptogenic liver disease parallels that observed in hepatitis C virus chronic liver disease, thus ruling out an aetiologic role of hepatitis G virus. TT virus infection is uncommon in patients with cryptogenic or hepatitis C virus-related liver disease who do not have a history of parenteral exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano R Di
- Institute of Internal Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Palermo, Italy
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Ohbayashi H, Tanaka Y, Ohoka S, Chinzei R, Kakinuma S, Goto M, Watanabe M, Marumo F, Sato C. TT virus is shown in the liver by in situ hybridization with a PCR-generated probe from the serum TTV-DNA. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001; 16:424-8. [PMID: 11354281 DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2001.02460.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM It has been a conflicting issue whether TT virus (TTV), a newly isolated DNA virus from a patient with liver injury of unknown cause, is a causative agent of acute and/or chronic hepatitis. TT Virus DNA titers were shown to be 10-100-fold greater in liver tissue than in serum, whereas the majority of TTV-positive cases had no biochemical or histological evidence of significant liver damage. We therefore attempted in situ hybridization to investigate whether TTV is hepatotropic. METHODS Because of the marked divergence in TTV genome types, a template for TTV-DNA (coding region for N22 clone) was amplified and labeled with digoxigenin-dUTP by using hemi-nested PCR from the serum, then DNA probes were applied to the liver sections of the same case. After hybridization, the probes were visualized immunohistochemically. Besides TTV-DNA-negative cases, competitive inhibition experiments with unlabeled probes were performed to confirm the specificity. RESULTS There were no positive signals in the negative controls, and the intensity of positive signals was markedly diminished in the competitive inhibition experiments. No cross-hybridization with different genotype probes also confirms the specificity. Under the optimal conditions, the positive signals were located in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes in eight of nine TTV-DNA-positive cases. The signals were not seen in non-parenchymal cells of the liver. CONCLUSION TT Virus is proved to be hepatotropic by in situ hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Ohbayashi
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
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Bendinelli M, Pistello M, Maggi F, Fornai C, Freer G, Vatteroni ML. Molecular properties, biology, and clinical implications of TT virus, a recently identified widespread infectious agent of humans. Clin Microbiol Rev 2001; 14:98-113. [PMID: 11148004 PMCID: PMC88963 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.14.1.98-113.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
TT virus (TTV) was first described in 1997 by representational difference analysis of sera from non-A to non-G posttransfusion hepatitis patients and hence intensively investigated as a possible addition to the list of hepatitis-inducing viruses. The TTV genome is a covalently closed single-stranded DNA of approximately 3.8 kb with a number of characteristics typical of animal circoviruses, especially the chicken anemia virus. TTV is genetically highly heterogeneous, which has led investigators to group isolates into numerous genotypes and subtypes and has limited the sensitivity of many PCR assays used for virus detection. The most remarkable feature of TTV is the extraordinarily high prevalence of chronic viremia in apparently healthy people, up to nearly 100% in some countries. The original hypothesis that it might be an important cause of cryptogenic hepatitis has not been borne out, although the possibility that it may produce liver damage under specific circumstances has not been excluded. The virus has not yet been etiologically linked to any other human disease. Thus, TTV should be considered an orphan virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bendinelli
- Virology Section, Department of Biomedicine and Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- I K Mushahwar
- Viral Discovery Group, Abbott Diagnostics Division, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Shibata M, Morizane T, Baba T, Inoue K, Sekiyama K, Yoshiba M, Mitamura K. TT virus infection in patients with fulminant hepatic failure. Am J Gastroenterol 2000; 95:3602-6. [PMID: 11151899 DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2000.03301.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A new DNA virus, which has been designated the TT virus, was discovered in 1997. It is not clear whether TT virus is a cause of any of the types of hepatitis. We conducted a case-control study to test the hypothesis that the presence of TT virus is a necessary condition for the development of fulminant hepatic failure in people who have non-A, -B, or -C hepatitis. METHODS We studied 55 patients with fulminant hepatic failure [28 men, 27 women, mean (+/- SD) age, 47 +/- 15 yr], 32 patients with acute hepatitis (18 men, 14 women, mean age, 38 +/- 15 yr), and 200 healthy subjects (106 men, 94 women, mean age, 42 +/- 14 yr). TT virus DNA was detected in sera by a nested polymerase chain reaction using a primer set for genotype 1. RESULTS TT virus was more frequently detected in patients with fulminant hepatic failure [in 33 of 55 (60%); 95% confidence interval (CI), 47-73%] than in those with acute hepatitis [in 8 of 32 (25%); 95% CI, 10-40%; p = 0.0016] or in healthy subjects [in 50 of 200 (25%); 95% CI, 19-31%; p < 0.0001]. TT virus was detected at a significantly higher rate in non-A, -B, or -C fulminant hepatic failure [in 18 of 22 (82%); 95% CI, 66-98%] than in fulminant hepatic failure of A, B, or C type [45%, 28-62%, 15/33; p = 0.007] or in non-A, -B, or -C acute hepatitis [24%, 3-44%, 4/17; p = 0.0003]. The logistic regression analysis selected TT virus (p = 0.0009), age (p = 0.0116), and etiology (p = 0.0309) as independent variables associated with fulminant hepatic failure (coefficient of determination, 0.2335). CONCLUSIONS TT virus comparatively plays a role in the pathogenesis of non-A, -B, or -C fulminant hepatic failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Shibata
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Ott C, Duret L, Chemin I, Trépo C, Mandrand B, Komurian-Pradel F. Use of a TT virus ORF1 recombinant protein to detect anti-TT virus antibodies in human sera. J Gen Virol 2000; 81:2949-2958. [PMID: 11086126 DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-81-12-2949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
TT virus (TTV), isolated initially from a Japanese patient with hepatitis of unknown aetiology, has since been found to infect both healthy and diseased individuals and numerous prevalence studies have raised questions about its role in unexplained hepatitis. In order to determine the prevalence of ongoing TTV infection as well as resolved infection, a serological study was performed with a recombinant protein generated from the open reading frame 1 (ORF1) sequence isolated from a French patient infected by TTV. The C-terminal end of the ORF1 protein, containing a particularly hydrophilic region, was retained to be used as antigen to detect the presence of anti-TTV antibodies in serum samples by a Western blot analysis. For this purpose, the C-terminal ORF1 region was expressed in fusion with a hexahistidine tail in E. coli and purified by metal-chelate affinity chromatography. The serological screening of 70 human sera, including 30 patients with hepatitis of unknown aetiology, 30 blood donors and 10 healthy children, allowed the immune response of infected hosts to be identified by the detection of TTV-specific antibodies, with a very high prevalence of 98.6% in the human sera tested. In contrast, TTV DNA was detected by PCR in only 76.1% of the tested sera. The use of the ORF1 C-terminal recombinant protein thereby provided a diagnostic tool to follow the immune response of the host against TTV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Ott
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 2142 CNRS-bioMérieux, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France1
| | - Laurent Duret
- Laboratoire de Biométrie Génétique et Biologie des Populations, UMR CNRS 5558, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France2
| | - Isabelle Chemin
- INSERM Unité 271, 151 Cours Albert Thomas, 69424 Lyon Cedex 03, France3
| | - Christian Trépo
- INSERM Unité 271, 151 Cours Albert Thomas, 69424 Lyon Cedex 03, France3
| | - Bernard Mandrand
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 2142 CNRS-bioMérieux, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France1
| | - Florence Komurian-Pradel
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 2142 CNRS-bioMérieux, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France1
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Martínez NM, García F, García F, Alvarez M, Bernal MC, Piédrola G, Hernández J, Maroto MC. TT virus DNA in serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and semen of patients infected by HIV. AIDS 2000; 14:1464-6. [PMID: 10930170 DOI: 10.1097/00002030-200007070-00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Springfeld C, Bugert JJ, Schnitzler P, Tobiasch E, Kehm R, Darai G. TT virus as a human pathogen: significance and problems. Virus Genes 2000; 20:35-45. [PMID: 10766305 DOI: 10.1023/a:1008156022845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
In 1997 TTV was detected using representational difference analysis (RDA) in serum of a patient with posttransfusion hepatitis unrelated to known hepatitis viruses. The genome of TTV is a circular single-stranded DNA molecule of 3852 nt with negative polarity. TTV possibly can be grouped either into the existing family Circoviridae or into a recently established virus family "Circinoviridae". Analysis of the complete DNA nucleotide sequence of TTV identified three partially overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). Neither DNA nucleotide nor corresponding amino acid sequences of TTV do show significant homologies to known sequences. TTV DNA nucleotide sequences amplified by PCR from sera of different patients show considerable sequence variations. Although the natural route of transmission of TTV is still unknown, there is clear evidence for a transmission of TTV through blood and blood products. TTV DNA can be detected in the feces of infected individuals suggesting that it may be possible to attract TTV infection from environmental sources. Since the discovery of TTV, numerous studies have investigated the prevalence of TTV infections in different human population groups all over the world. All these studies are based on PCR detection systems, but the technical aspects of the PCR systems vary significantly between the different investigators. The results of the epidemiological studies do not show a clear picture. The discovery of TTV as a viral agent and particularly the identification of a high percentage of infected carriers in the healthy human population raises the following questions: Firstly, what is the origin and molecular relatedness of TT virus. Secondly, what is the significance of TTV as a human pathogen. And thirdly, what are the exact molecular mechanisms of viral replication. To answer these questions it will be necessary to determine the primary structure and the coding capacity of several TTV patient isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Springfeld
- Institut für Medizinische Virologie der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany
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Biagini P, Gallian P, Touinssi M, Cantaloube JF, Zapitelli JP, de Lamballerie X, de Micco P. High prevalence of TT virus infection in French blood donors revealed by the use of three PCR systems. Transfusion 2000; 40:590-5. [PMID: 10827265 DOI: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.2000.40050590.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of TT virus (TTV) infection in voluntary blood donors in Southeastern France. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The sera of 289 blood donors were tested for the presence of TTV DNA by two PCR systems detecting genes located in the 5' UTR (primer set A [Set A]) and the open reading frame (ORF2) (primer set B [Set B]) of the viral genome. A randomized sample of 40 blood donors was also tested by a nested-PCR system in the ORF1 by use of primer set C (Set C). Donors were questioned for possible risk factors for virus transmission. RESULTS In the entire population studied, 30.8 percent of blood donors tested positive with both Sets A and B, and 70.6 percent with at least one set. In the sample tested with three sets of primers, 27.5 percent of blood donors were positive in testing with all PCR systems and 80 percent with at least one system. The specificity of TTV DNA amplification was confirmed by sequencing 10 PCR products obtained with each set of primers. Statistical analysis revealed that the prevalence of TTV reactivity increased with age. CONCLUSION The high prevalence of TTV reactivity and the absence of a pathologic condition or risk factors obviously associated with the infection in blood donors suggest that there is no need for systematic detection of TTV infection before blood donation. Further studies are required to determine if TTV isolates can be responsible for a pathologic condition in humans after blood transfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Biagini
- Department of Molecular Virology, Marseille, France
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Fabris P, Biasin MR, Infantolino D, Tositti G, Venza E, Floreani A, Zanetti A, de Lalla F. TTV infection in patients with acute hepatitis of defined aetiology and in acute non-A-E hepatitis. J Hepatol 2000; 32:661-5. [PMID: 10782916 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8278(00)80229-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Recently, the presence of a novel nonenveloped single-stranded DNA virus (TTV) has been associated with either acute or chronic hepatitis of unknown aetiology, suggesting a possible aetiological role. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, the significance and the clinical impact of TTV infection in patients with acute viral hepatitis of defined aetiology and in patients with non-A-E acute hepatitis. METHODS TTV-DNA was tested by hemi-nested PCR in serum samples collected from 121 patients during and after acute hepatitis (103 with acute viral hepatitis of defined aetiology and 18 with acute non-A-E hepatitis) and in 30 healthy controls. RESULTS Overall, the rate of TTV infection was 12.6% (13/103) in patients with acute hepatitis of defined aetiology, 16.6% (3/18) in patients with non-A-E acute hepatitis and 6.6% (2/30) in the healthy control group, (p=n.s). TTV-DNA was detected in the following proportions: hepatitis B, 13.2% (7/53); hepatitis C, 16.6% (4/24); hepatitis A, 4.7% (1/21); hepatitis E 20% (1/5). Moreover, acute hepatitis with and without TTV infection/coinfection were comparable in terms of both liver biochemistry and chronicity rate. The results of TTV re-testing after serial dilutions of six TTV-DNA positive serum samples during and after the peak of liver transaminases failed to demonstrate a correlation between liver damage and viral titre. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of TTV infection appeared to be comparable in patients with non-A-E hepatitis, in acute hepatitis of defined aetiology and in the control group. Hence, an aetiological role of TTV for acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology seems questionable. Moreover, TTV infection does not modify the natural history of acute hepatitis of defined aetiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Fabris
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ospedale S. Bortolo, Vicenza, Italy.
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Fukuda Y, Nakano I, Katano Y, Toyoda H, Yokozaki S, Hayashi K. Methods and conclusions in the clinical study of TT virus. Hepatology 1999; 30:1335. [PMID: 10576991 DOI: 10.1002/hep.510300528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
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