title: Association of age and gender with Torque teno virus detection in stools from diarrheic and non-diarrheic people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Torque teno virus (TTV) is a small virus belongs to Anelloviridea family. TTV is a disease orphan virus but it has often been associated with a variety of pathologies and co-infections. TTV was recently identified as an infectious agent that could potentially be involved in cases of acute enteritis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the presence of TTV in stools from diarrheic and not diarrheic people, and to investigate an association between infection, and patient age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stool samples from people exhibiting signs of enteritis (954) and from non-diarrheic individuals (76) were collected in the former Chinook Health Region (CHR) in Southwestern Alberta, Canada from May 2008 to April 2009. Viral genetic material was extracted, and detection and quantification of TTV were carried out by real-time PCR. The presence of other viral and bacterial enteric pathogens was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More (P<0.001) diarrheic people (38.8%) tested positive for TTV DNA than non-diarrheic individuals (18.4%). Furthermore, viral load was greater (P<0.001) in stools from diarrheic (2.0×10(7)copies/g) than non-diarrheic (2.0×10(3)copies/g) people. TTV DNA was detected most often in diarrheic individuals that were 0-5 (57.3%) and greater than 81 (59.0%) years of age. Combined across age, the prevalence of TTV was higher among men than women (P=0.003). Co-infections with other enteric pathogens were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed a significant association between TTV prevalence and viral load, and enteritis. Also, TTV prevalence was significantly higher in the very young and elderly suggesting that immunological status is important.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food Research and Development Centre, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8E3, Canada. Electronic address: julie.brassard@agr.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brassard
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food Research and Development Centre, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Marie-Josée
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gagné
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food Research and Development Centre, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food Research and Development Centre, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Élyse
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Poitras
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food Research and Development Centre, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Houde
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chinook Regional Hospital, 960-19th Street S, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 1W5, Canada.
authors.forename: Valerie F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Boras
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, 5403-1st Avenue S, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4B1, Canada. Electronic address: douglas.inglis@agr.gc.ca.
authors.forename: G Douglas
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Inglis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012737:Sex Factors; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acute enteritis; Age; Co-infections; Gender; Torque teno virus