[Significance of detection of transfusion transmitted virus in extrahepatic tissues].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the location and distribution of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) in the liver and extrahepatic tissues.


METHODS
TTV DNA was detected in paraffin-embedded autopsy liver and extrahepatic tissues, including liver, pancreas, kidney, spleen, testicle, and heart from 13 patients with non A-G hepatitis by nested-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques.


RESULTS
Positive hybridization signals of TTV nucleus acid were observed in 5 liver, 3 kidney, 2 pancreas and spleen tissues, respectively. TTV DNA was detected in one from each two samples of testicle and heart. Positive signal was mainly located in nucleoli of the liver and extrahepatic parenchymal cells. There was not obvious pathological damage in those extrahepatic tissues. The positive rate of PCR approximately corresponded to ISH.


CONCLUSIONS
TTV can infect hepatic and extrahepatic tissues and its infection in extrahepatic tissues might be responsible for a state of reinfection and higher prevalence in different population.
Lang
Z
Z
Youan Hospital, Beijing 100054, China.
Jin
R
R
Wang
Y
Y
Yan
H
H
Zhou
Y
Y
Luo
Z
Z
Huang
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D004279:DNA, Viral