Coinfection of TT virus and response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the serum positive percentage of TT virus (TTV) in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C and the response of the coinfected TTV to interferon (IFN) during IFN therapy for chronic hepatitis B and C.


METHODS
We retrospectively studied the serum samples of 70 patients with chronic hepatitis who had received IFN-alpha therapy from January 1997 to June 2000, which included 40 cases of hepatitis B and 30 hepatitis C. All the patients had been followed up for at least 6 months after the end of IFN therapy. The serum TTV DNA was detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) before and every month during the course of IFN treatment.


RESULTS
TTV infection was detected in 15% (6/40) of the chronic hepatitis B group and 30% (9/30) of the chronic hepatitis C group. Loss of serum TTV DNA during IFN therapy occurred in 3 of 6 patients (50%) and 6 of 9 (67%) of hepatitis B and C groups, respectively. Seronegativity of TTV was found all during the first month of IFN therapy in the 9 patients. There was no correlation between the seroconversion of TTV and the biochemical changes of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
TTV is not infrequently coinfected in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C in Taiwan, and more than half of the TTV infections are IFN-sensitive. However, the loss of serum TTV DNA does not affect the clinical course of the patients with chronic hepatitis B or C.
Lai
Yung-Chih
YC
Liver Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, 280 Jen-Ai Rd., Sec. 4,Taipei, Taiwan 106. yangss@seed.net.tw
Hu
Ruey-Tyng
RT
Yang
Sien-Sing
SS
Wu
Chi-Hwa
CH
D000328:Adult; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D022783:Torque teno virus
D016898:Interferon-alpha