The prevalence of TT virus (TTV) infection and its relationship to hepatitis in children |
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| Authors: | Masahiro Iriyama Hiroshi Kimura Kazuo Nishikawa Kentaro Yoshioka Takaji Wakita Naoko Nishimura Motohiro Shibata Takao Ozaki Tsuneo Morishima |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan e-mail: miriyama@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp, Tel.: +81-52-7442303; Fax: +81-52-7442974, JP;(2) Nagoya Ekisaikai Hospital, 4-66 Shonen-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya 454-8502, Japan, JP;(3) Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan, JP;(4) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, 2-6 Musashidai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8526, Japan, JP;(5) Division of Neonatology, Children's Medical Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya First Hospital, 3-35 Michishita-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 453-8511, Japan, JP;(6) Department of Pediatrics, Chukyo Hospital, 1-1-10 Sanjyo Minami-ku, Nagoya 457-0866, Japan, JP;(7) Department of Pediatrics, Showa Hospital, 46 Nojiro, Nojiro-cho, Kohnan, Aichi 483-8703, Japan, JP |
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| Abstract: | TT virus (TTV) is a newly discovered virus from a patient with post-transfusion hepatitis. We investigated the frequency
and pathogenesis of TTV infection in children. A semi-nested PCR assay was used to amplify TTV-DNA in serum samples from 254
ambulatory children without liver disease, 20 with hepatitis of unknown etiology, and 18 transfusion recipients or hemophiliacs.
In positive samples, TTV-DNA was quantified by real-time quantitative PCR using a fluorescent probe. We detected TTV-DNA in
20% of children with hepatitis of unknown etiology, which was not statistically different from the 23% prevalence in ambulatory
children. In transfusion recipients or hemophiliacs, the frequency was higher (50%) than that in ambulatory children (P = 0.01). Among ambulatory children, TTV-DNA was frequently detected in children with acute gastroenteritis (36%). TTV-DNA
was detected in 10% of the infants under 6 months old, and 20% of the children from 7 to 12 months old. The prevalence was
constant after the age of 1 year; however, the copy number of TTV-DNA was significantly higher in children under 1 year of
age (mean: 105.4 versus 103.8 copies/ml, P= 0.008). Finally, TTV-DNA was quantified serially in three children with chronic hepatitis who were positive for TTV-DNA.
The presence or amount of TTV-DNA was unrelated to the serum alanine aminotransferase level. These results indicate that TTV
infection is common in children. The larger quantity of TTV-DNA in infants and the high prevalence of TTV in children of all
ages suggest that TTV may be transmitted in early childhood. Its relationship to hepatitis is doubtful in children.
Received: 8 April 1999 |
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| Keywords: | TT virus Epidemiology Hepatitis Polymerase chain reaction |
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