Molecular epidemiology and genotyping of TT virus isolated from Saudi blood donors and hepatitis patients

Abstract

BACKGROUNDIn Saudi Arabia, the epidemiology and clinical significnance of Torque Teno virus (TTV) infection alone and in patients with hepatitis virus infections have not been determined in a single study. In this paper, we molecularly investigated the rate and genotypes of TTV infection among Saudi Arabian blood donors and patients with viral hepatitis. The effect of TTV coinfection on viral hepatitis was also examined.SUBJECTS AND METHODSDNA was extracted from the sera of 200 healthy blood volunteers, 45 hepatitis B virus patients, 100 hepatitis C virus patients, 19 hepatitis G virus patients, and 56 non-A-G hepatitis patients. TTV DNA was amplified using primers derived from the ORF1 and 5′UTR regions. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was determined for each specimen. Sequencing of ORF1 amplicons was carried out to investigate TTV genotypes.RESULTSUsing primers derived from ORF1 and 5′UTR, TTV DNA was detected in 5.5% and 50.5%, respectively, of healthy blood donors, in 2.2% and 88.8% in hepatitis B patients, in 2.0% and 70% of hepatitis C patients, in 15.8% and 100% of hepatitis G patients, in 5.4% and 12.5% of non-A-G hepatitis patients and in 4.8% and 56.4% overall. No detrimental effect of TTV coinfection in viral hepatitis patients was noted. An overall prevalence of 4.8% and 56.4% was established. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the most common genotype of TTV among Saudis is 2c.CONCLUSIONThe rate of TTV infection among Saudi Arabians seems to be lower than that stated in previous reports on Saudi Arabia and in some other countries. The virus does not seem to worsen the status of those who are suffering from viral hepatitis infection.

The Association of Prevalence and Genotypes of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) Among Chronic Hepatitis B and C Patients in Ahvaz, 2012

“…Also, they detected a prevalence of TTV in 7 (12.5%). out of 56 non-A-G hepatitis patients (15). These results differ from the results of this study.…”

“…The most common global genotypes of TTV are 1, 2 (18). The predominance of genotype 1a was observed in north India (8), while the most common genotype in hepatitis patients and healthy subjects in Saudi Arabia is 2c (15). The most common genotype of TTV in hepatitis patients in Iran is genotype 11 (1).…”

Phylogenetic Analysis of Torque Teno Virus in Thalassemic Children in Egypt

“…On the other hand, there were only 3 genotype 2-related isolates and they were limited to HCV-negative patients, while genotype 6 was only detected in 1 HCV-positive case. These results are in agreement with other studies carried out in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where the prevalent genotypes were also 1 and 2 [24,35] .…”

Molecular detection of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and torque teno viruses in drug users in Saudi Arabia

“…Al-Mozaini et al [2006] investigated the rate and genotypes of TTV infection among Saudi Arabian blood donors and patients with viral hepatitis. Using primers derived from ORF1 and 5 0 -UTR, overall prevalence rates of 4.8% and 56.4%, respectively, were established.…”