Epidemiology and clinical significance of chronic hepatitis-related viruses infection in hemodialysis patients from Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
A novel DNA virus which was designated TT virus (TTV) in 1997 was considered a possible hepatitis-related virus, like hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV) and GB virus C/hepatitis G viruses (GBV-C/HGV). In the present study, the molecular epidemiology and clinical significance of TTV, GBV-C/HGV and HCV infection in hemodialysis patients from Taiwan are investigated.


METHODS
Sera of 85 patients on maintenance hemodialysis were tested for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), second-generation HCV antibody (anti-HCV), anti-envelope protein 2 antibody (anti-E2) and RNA of GBV-C/HGV, HCV RNA and TTV DNA. Sera of patients with positive TTV DNA, GBV-C/HGV RNA or HCV RNA were tested for viruses 2 years later.


RESULTS
Seven (8.2%) 29 (34.1%), 21 (24.7%), 12 (14.1%) and 9 (10.6%) hemodialysis patients were positive for HBsAg, Anti-HCV, HCV RNA, GBV-C/HGV RNA and anti-E2, respectively. TTV DNA was positive in 46 (54.1%) patients. Neither clinical nor virological factors were associated with TTV viremia. The ALT level was significantly elevated in HCV RNA-positive individuals than -negative ones (34.5 vs. 12.5%, p < 0.05). TTV DNA, GBV-C/HGV RNA and HCV RNA remained detectable in sera of 31 (86.1%), 6 (50%) and 21 (100%) patients collected 2 years after first diagnosis of viremia.


CONCLUSIONS
Among Taiwanese hemodialysis patients, TTV infection is highly prevalent. No clinical or virological factor was observed to be significantly associated with TTV infection. The ALT abnormality was mainly attributable to HCV but not TTV infection in Taiwanese hemodialysis patients.
Dai
Chia-Yen
CY
Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan/ROC.
Yu
Ming-Lung
ML
Chuang
Wan-Long
WL
Sung
Ming-Hsing
MH
Lin
Zu-Yao
ZY
Chen
Shinn-Cherng
SC
Hsieh
Ming-Yuh
MY
Wang
Liang-Yen
LY
Tsai
Jung-Fa
JF
Chang
Wen-Yu
WY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase