[The molecular epidemiology of transfusion transmitted virus infection in Shanxi Province]

To study the molecular epidemiology of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) infection and its distribution in different populations in Shanxi Province and the gene types of the isolates.

TTV DNA in serum samples was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Partial gene of the strains from different populations were cloned and sequenced, and their gene types were analyzed.

Of 24 cases with chronic hepatitis B, 31 cases with non A-G hepatitis, 53 cases of professional blood donors, 112 cases of healthy lying -in women, the positive rates of TTV DNA were 41.66%, 29.03%, 58.49% and 8.93%, respectively. TTV DNA in serum samples of 18 cases of 2 - 3 years old healthy children were negative and also were negative in umbilical cord blood of 10 cases of TTV DNA positive healthy lying-in woman. Sequence analysis of 4 isolated strains of Shanxi Province showed that the nucleotide identity among them were more than 90% and they all belonged to the same gene type (la)

This study proved that TTV infection existed in Shanxi Province, TTV might be an important pathogen for non-A to G hepatitis. TTV often coinfected with hepatitis B virus and there were high rates of TTV infection in professional blood donors and in patients with chronic liver disease. The gene type of TTV in Shanxi province was la.