title: TT virus infection in screened Taiwanese blood donors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  TT virus (TTV) is a newly discovered human DNA virus of uncertain clinical significance. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of TTV infection among blood donors in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Viral DNA was studied in 224 healthy blood donors and 118 deferred donors. DNA was extracted from plasma and amplified by seminested polymerase chain reaction with reported primer sets from a conserved region of the TTV genome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of TTV DNA in the deferred donors was 24.6%, significantly higher than in the healthy donors (11.9%). TTV was also more prevalent in those with hepatitis B surface antigen than in those without it (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparing normal with deferred Taiwanese blood donors, hepatitis B virus infection is linked to a higher prevalence of TTV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Chungtai Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China. tfho@chtai.ctc.edu.tw
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens