Molecular detection of transfusion transmitted virus coinfection with some hepatotropic viruses

A novel human DNA virus was isolated from the serum of a patient with posttransfusion hepatitis; it was named transfusion transmitted virus (TTV).

To ascertain the influence of TTV (detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification of a conserved region of the viral genome) coinfection in individuals infected with hepatitis viruses (A, B, and C) and to investigate the putative role played by TTV in hepatic dysfunction in individuals with acute non-A-E hepatitis.

Sixty-two patients with viral hepatitis were included in the study in addition to 18 blood donors. Viral study of 4 hepatotropic viruses (A, B, C, and E) was carried out. Study for TTV DNA was performed by nested polymerase chain reaction.

The prevalence of TTV was not statistically different between hepatitis patients and blood donors, and it was not correlated to the levels of the hepatic aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase between individuals evidencing dual infection with hepatitis B and C viruses and healthy blood donors. However, in the group of patients with viral hepatitis of unknown etiology (non-A-E), those evidencing TTV viremia had statistically significant lower levels of alanine aminotransferase (P = .03) and aspartate aminotransferase (P = .04) than those who were TTV negative.

We can conclude that TTV is a frequent virus isolated from patients with various types of viral hepatitis, from cases of hepatitis without obvious viral agent, and from the healthy population. TTV has no effect on biochemical markers of associated viral hepatitis. It may be associated with a mild form of non-A-E hepatitis.