The prevalence of transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C in southwest of Iran

Abstract

Transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) is an unenveloped circular single-stranded DNA virus with a diameter of 30 to 32 nm that was first described in 1997 in Japan. TTV was detected in various populations without proven pathology, including blood donors and in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of TTV DNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C in southwest Iran. Viral TTV-DNA was studied in 442 samples (202 with HBV, 138 with HCV and 102 controls) collected from southwest of Iran. All the extracted serum DNA was amplified by TTV ORF1 gene specific primers using the semi nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. TTV DNA was detected in the serum of 8.9 and 10.8% patients with chronic hepatitis B and C, respectively. The prevalence of TTV-DNA in the serum of the 102 controls was 2.9%. The results showed significant relationship of TTV with HBV and HCV in patients from T test examination (P < 0.01). The prevalence of TTV-DNA in Iranian hepatitis B and C patients was rather high when compared with those of other countries. To control and prevent  the distribution of TT-virus, examination of the blood and blood products seems necessary.

Key words: Transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), ORF1 gene, semi nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Iran.