High prevalence of TT virus viremia in italian patients, regardless of age, clinical diagnosis, and previous interferon treatment

J Infect Dis. 1999 Sep;180(3):838-42. doi: 10.1086/314961.

Abstract

The pathogenic potential of the newly discovered TT virus (TTV) is currently a matter of conjecture. Its presence was investigated in the serum of 660 patients, by polymerase chain reaction. TTV was detected in 50% of 221 patients with unselected pathologies, and no significant differences related to age, sex, or organ disease were noted. TTV was present at a significantly higher rate in hemophiliacs (73%) and at lower rates in patients with cirrhosis (30%) and rheumatoid arthritis (28%). Patients with other liver diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, or psoriasis or receiving hemodialysis had rates of infection similar to those in unselected patients. TTV-positive patients treated with interferon-alpha for underlying type C hepatitis showed no appreciable changes of TTV viremia levels. Type 1b was by far the most frequent viral genotype (92%), followed by types 2c (5%) and 1a (3%).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Comorbidity
  • DNA Virus Infections / epidemiology*
  • DNA Virus Infections / pathology
  • DNA Viruses / classification*
  • DNA Viruses / genetics
  • DNA Viruses / isolation & purification
  • Female
  • Hemophilia A / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Prevalence
  • Psoriasis / epidemiology
  • Renal Dialysis / statistics & numerical data
  • Viremia / epidemiology*

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AJ244117
  • GENBANK/AJ244118
  • GENBANK/AJ244119
  • GENBANK/AJ244120
  • GENBANK/AJ244121
  • GENBANK/AJ244122
  • GENBANK/AJ244123
  • GENBANK/AJ244124
  • GENBANK/AJ244125
  • GENBANK/AJ244126
  • GENBANK/AJ244127
  • GENBANK/AJ244128
  • GENBANK/AJ244129
  • GENBANK/AJ244130
  • GENBANK/AJ244131
  • GENBANK/AJ244132
  • GENBANK/AJ244133
  • GENBANK/AJ244134
  • GENBANK/AJ244135
  • GENBANK/AJ244136
  • GENBANK/AJ244137
  • GENBANK/AJ244138
  • GENBANK/AJ244139
  • GENBANK/AJ244140
  • GENBANK/AJ244141
  • GENBANK/AJ244142
  • GENBANK/AJ244143
  • GENBANK/AJ244144
  • GENBANK/AJ244145
  • GENBANK/AJ244146