TT virus infection in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infected mothers and their infants.
Serum TT virus (TTV) DNA was determined in 83 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV 1) infected mothers [46 intravenous drug user and 37 non-intravenous drug user women] and their infants. Twenty-nine (34.9%) mothers were TTV infected. Infection was more frequent among intravenous drug user than non-intravenous drug user mothers [21/46 (45.6%) vs. 8/37 (21.6%); relative risk (RR): 2.1; 95% confidence limits (95% CL): 1.1-4.2; P = 0.023] and among intravenous drug users who carried on injecting than in those who had given it up [10/14 (71.4%) vs. 11/32 (34.3%); RR: 2.1 (95%CL: 1.2-3.7); P = 0. 021]. Infection was not related to age, CD4-positive T-lymphocyte counts, HIV 1 load, hepatitis B (HBV), G/GB-C (GBV-C/HGV), C (HCV) virus exposure. Eight (27.5%) infants born to TTV infected (but none of those born to TTV uninfected) mothers were TTV infected at a median age of 1.5 (range: 0.6-2.8) months. Infants born by vaginal/emergency caesarean delivery were more frequently infected than those born by elective caesarean delivery [7/16 (43.7%) vs. 1/13 (7.6%); RR: 2.1; 95%CL: 1.2-3.5; P = 0.033]. Infection in infants was not related to maternal CD4-positive T-lymphocyte counts, HIV 1 load, and HIV 1, HBV, GBV-C/HGV, or HCV transmission. No infant became TTV infected thereafter. No TTV infected child [follow-up: 31 (median; range: 6-60) months] showed signs of liver disease; five infants cleared TTV DNA after 22 (median; range: 6-60) months. TTV infection in HIV 1 infected women is prevalently related to intravenous drug user. The findings suggest that infants may acquire TTV at birth. Infection may persist without evident liver disease.
de Martino
M
M
Department of Paediatrics, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. mdm@ao-meyer.toscana.it
Moriondo
M
M
Azzari
C
C
Resti
M
M
Galli
L
L
Vierucci
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D019562:Viral Load
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral