Molecular characterization of Torque teno virus and SEN virus co-infection with HIV in patients from Southern Iran

Introduction Torque teno virus (TTV) and SEN virus are circular single-stranded DNA viruses that cause blood-borne infections. The SEN virus (SEN-V) was originally detected in the serum of an injection drug user infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Recently TTV was discovered as a potential causative agent of non-A-E hepatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the SEN-V-D/H and TTV in HIV patients and healthy blood donors in Iran. Methods One hundred and fifty HIV patients with a mean age of 50.46 ± 18.46 years and 150 healthy blood donors with a mean age of 48.16 ± 13.73 years were included in this study. TTV and SEN-V were detected by the PCR and were quantitatively assayed by competitive PCR (nested and semi-nested PCR). Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were used to determine the heterogeneity of TTV. Results TTV and SEN-V were detected 96 (64%) and 84 (56%) of 150 HIV patients respectively. These rates were 34% (n=51) and 37.33% (n=56) in healthy blood donors (significant, p<0.05). PCR detected SEN-V/TTV DNA from 32 of the healthy blood donors (21.33%), while 65 (43.33%) of HIV patients were positive for SEN-V/TTV DNA. Of 150 HIV patients, 32.66% and 23.33% were positive for SEN-V-H and SEN-V-D, respectively and 18.66% (n=28) were co-infected with SEN-V-D/H. Conclusions The prevalence of SEN-VD/H and TTV is higher in HIV patients than in healthy blood donors in Southern Iran. Our results suggest that TTV and SEN-V might play a role in the development of liver disease in patients with immunodeficiency diseases. .

Molecular detection of TT virus and SEN virus infections in hemodialysed patients and blood donors in south of Iran.

Background: SEN virus (SEN-V) and TT virus (TTV) have been classified in the circoviridae family. Both are single-stranded, non-enveloped DNA viruses of about 3800 nucleotides. Patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) have a high risk of blood-borne viral infections. SEN-V and TTV has been reported from a number of HD units from various countries throughout the world. Materials and Methods: A total of 377 blood samples obtained from 150 healthy donors and 227 HD patients were collected at the HD center. SEN-V and TTV DNA was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in all samples. Results: TTV was detected in 109 (48.01%) of 227 hemodialysed patients and 14 (9.33%) of 150 voluntary blood donors (significant, P < 0.05). The PCR results for SEN-V-D/H DNA showed that 65 (28.63%) were positive for SEN-V-D and 33 (14.53%) were positive for SEN-V-H. 9.69% of 227 patients were positive for SEN-V-D/H co-infection. In the control group, SEN-V-D was detected in 14 (9.33%) and SEN-V-H was detected in 15 (10%) of the 150 (100%) blood donors. Conclusion: These findings show that the prevalence of SEN-V-D/H and TTV is higher than healthy blood donors. Also, these results indicate that the prevalence of SEN-V and TTV infections in our region is similar with that in other countries.

The high prevalence of Torque teno virus DNA in blood donors and haemodialysis patients in southern Brazil

This study investigates the frequency of Torque teno virus (TTV) infection in 150 blood donors and 77 patients requiring haemodialysis in southern Brazil. Plasma samples were screened for TTV DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The prevalences of TTV among blood donors and patients requiring haemodialysis were 73.3% and 68.8%, respectively. The presence of TTV was correlated with age in the blood donors (p = 0.024). In haemodialysis patients, no association was found between TTV infection and the demographic parameters (age, sex and education), the duration of haemodialysis or a history of blood transfusion. This study is the first to evaluate the prevalence of TTV infection in Brazilian patients requiring haemodialysis.

Torquetenovirus infection among northeastern Thai blood donors.

Semi-nested polymerase chain reaction technique was used to detect Torquetenovirus (TTV) DNA in 234 healthy blood donors in northeast Thailand. The incidence of TTV was 28% in 101 healthy blood donors negative for HBsAg and anti-HCV antibody, 25% in 71 HBsAg carriers and 29% among 62 with anti-HCV antibody. No association of TTV infection was found with gender, age, and HBV or HCV infection.

Distribution of TT Virus Genotypes and Genogroups in 69 Healthy and 59 Hepatitis B Virus Infected Korean Individuals / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: TT virus (TTV) infection is highly prevalent in general population and patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The aim of the present study was to determine the distribution of the genotypes and genogroups of TTV in healthy and HBV-infected individuals in Korea. METHODS: Distribution of TTV genotypes and genogroups was investigated in the serum samples of 69 healthy and 59 HBV-infected individuals. PCR products of N22 region were genotyped by sequence analysis. TTV genogroups were determined by 5 different genogroup-specific PCR assays. RESULTS: Among the 20 sequenced isolates, 9 (45%) were genotype 2, 8 (40%) were genotype 1, 2 (10%) were genotype 3, and 1 (5%) was genotype 4. TTV genogroup 4 was found most frequently (52/128), followed by genogroup 3 (42/128), genogroup 1 (35/128), genogroup 5 (32/128), and genogroup 2 (1/128). Mixed infections with different genogroups were frequent. CONCLUSIONS: TTV genotype 2 and 1 are predominant genotypes. TTV genotype 3 was detected for the first time in Korea. TTV genogroups 4 and 3 were predominant genogroups. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of TTV genogroups between healthy and HBV-infected individuals.

TT virus infection in children and adults who visited a general hospital in the south of Brazil for routine procedure

TT virus (TTV) is a newly described nonenveloped human virus, with a circular, negative-stranded DNA genome, that was first identified in the blood of a patient with posttransfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology. PCR primers and conditions used for TTV DNA amplification may greatly influence the level of TTV detection in serum. Three PCR assays, with different regions of the genome as targets, were used to test TTV DNA in 130 sera from children and adults visiting a hospital in the south of Brazil, most of them for routine procedure. Forty-four percent of adult sera and 73 percent of sera from children aged 0-10 years were TTV positive with at least one PCR assay. However, the three assays were able to detect only 33 percent, 35 percent, and 70 percent of the total positive samples. Our results showed a high prevalence of TTV infection in the south of Brazil, particularly among young children, and confirmed the necessity of performing several PCR assays to assess the true TTV prevalence in a determined population