[TT virus(TTV) infection in patients with acute hepatitis]

A novel DNA virus, TT virus(TTV), has been reported in patients with posttransfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology. However association between TTV and acute hepatitis has not been shown. We investigated the prevalence of TTV in acute hepatitis. TTV-positive rates in acute hepatitis A, B, C, cytomegalovirus infection, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and acute hepatitis of unknown etiology were 15.3%, 21.8%, 60.0%, 0%, 10.0%, 22.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences in TTV prevalence between each etiology and healthy blood donors(20.8%). Clinical data were similar between patients with or without TTV. In this study we could not find any difference in the prevalence of TTV between acute hepatitis with known etiologies and that with unknown etiology. TTV did not affect the clinical features of acute hepatitis with known etiologies.