title: Prevalence and viral persistence of TT virus in patients on hemodialysis.
abstract: The aim of this study was toevaluate the prevalence of TT virus (TTV) in 107 hemodialysis patients and 100 healthy individuals. Sixteen percent of hemodialysis patients and 2% of the control population were TTV positive (P<0.001). Sex, time on dialysis, transfusions, and alanine aminotransferase levels were not related to the presence of TTV DNA. TTV was more frequent in patients 50 to 70 (12/51) years of age and persisted in the serum of six of nine patients 8 months later. TTV was found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of all patients with chronic infection, and sequence variation was noted in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of two patients. No relationship between TTV infection and hepatitis was observed. Viral persistence and nonparenteral transmission may be possible in patients on hemodialysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine & University Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Valdecasas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piédrola
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maroto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral