Prevalence of the TT virus viremia in Patients on Hemodialysis and General Populations.
- Author:
Eun Hae KIM
1
;
Hee Soon CHO
;
Chae Hoon LEE
;
Kyung Dong KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea. chscp@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
TTV;
Post-transfusion hepatitis;
Hemodialysis;
Viral persistence
- MeSH:
Alanine Transaminase;
DNA, Circular;
Hepatitis;
Hepatitis Viruses;
Humans;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Prevalence*;
Renal Dialysis*;
Torque teno virus*;
Viremia*
- From:The Korean Journal of Laboratory Medicine
2003;23(2):113-118
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The TT virus (TTV) is a recently discovered, single-stranded circular DNA virus in the serum of the patients with post-transfusion hepatitis and it is thought to be one of the causative agents of cryptogenic hepatitis. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and clinical significance of TTV viremia in general populations and patients on hemodialysis. METHODS: Sera of 115 general populations and 69 patients on hemodialysis were examined for TTV viremia by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction using primers deduced from the N22 region. RESULTS: The TTV was detected in 26.1% (18 of 69) of the patients on hemodialysis and was not different from the 20.9% (24 of 115) prevalence in general populations. Two patients on hemodialysis that revealed biochemical evidence of acute hepatitis were the sole TTV infection without other hepatitis virus infection but the mean alanine aminotransferase level was not significantly different according to the TTV viremia. The TTV was persistently detected in the sera of eight of thirteen patients (61.5%) 12 month later without any evidence of hepatitis. CONCLUSIONS: TTV is widespread in general populations and shows similar prevalence in patients on hemodialysis. Viral persistence and nonparenteral transmission may be possible. The relationship between the TTV viremia and hepatitis was not proved.
