TT virus infection of periodontal tissues: a controlled clinical and laboratory pilot study.
BACKGROUND
A novel single-strand, circular DNA virus has been recently isolated and named TT virus (TTV). It has been demonstrated that peripheral blood cells harbor TTV DNA, suggesting that the virus might replicate in lymphoid cells and contribute to lymphocyte imbalances with consequent immunosuppressive effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of TTV DNA in healthy and periodontally compromised subjects, evaluating the presence of the virus in the gingiva and saliva, and comparing virological results with clinical data.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients (seven males and 14 females, aged 25 to 76 years) were enrolled in the study. Eleven subjects were diagnosed with moderate periodontitis, while 10 were periodontally healthy. A sample of saliva was taken from each patient before recording the periodontal data; subsequently, a gingival biopsy was performed. A real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify the presence of TTV DNA in saliva and gingival specimens.


RESULTS
A statistically significant association was found between TTV in gingival tissue and the presence of periodontitis (P = 0.0351), while no association was observed between TTV in saliva and the presence of periodontitis (P = 0.4762).


CONCLUSIONS
A new DNA virus (TTV) was first identified in the gingival tissue and was found to be significantly associated with the presence of periodontitis. These findings need to be investigated in further studies.
Rotundo
R
R
School of Dentistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. r.rotundo@odonto.unifi.it
Maggi
F
F
Nieri
M
M
Muzzi
L
L
Bendinelli
M
M
Prato
G P Pini
GP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018173:Circoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000821:virology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000821:virology; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000821:virology; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000821:virology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000821:virology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000821:virology*; D010519:Periodontium / Q000821:virology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*